This July, We're Talking Community - In All Its Forms

Summer is here, and so are new ways to connect. In this month's newsletter, we're honoring Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, recognizing the unique mental health journeys within BIPOC communities and how culturally responsive support makes all the difference. We're also lacing up for Fall 2026 NAMIWalks, one of our biggest opportunities to build community and raise awareness together. And of course, you'll find our full July calendar of support groups, classes, and events happening across Northern Cook County, because whatever you're carrying this summer-you don't have to carry it alone.

Keep reading to find your next step, your next group, or your next reason to walk with us!

Take the First Step Today - Register Your Team for NAMI CCNS 2026 NAMIWalks

Be a Champion for Your Community

Help NAMI CCNS Reach our $90K Goal by Signing Up to Walk, Raising Donations through your Network, Spreading the Word to Friends or Becoming a Team Captain!

Join us on Saturday, October 10th, 2026 for NAMIWalks Cook County North Suburban.

NAMIWalks is more than a fundraiser — it's a celebration of connection and a chance to say, "I will be there with my community." Whether you walk, volunteer, or donate, every step and every dollar fuels NAMI CCNS's programs and the broader mental health movement in Chicagoland.

While our official walk day isn't until Saturday, October 10, 2026, the starting line is here—we are calling on our supporters to step up and lace up—

the earlier you register or start a team, the more time you'll have to rally your friends, family, and coworkers behind you.

📍 Location: Gallery Park, 2412 West Lake Avenue, Glenview, IL 60026 (free parking available)

Event Schedule

9:00 AM Registration Opens

9:45 AM Opening Ceremony

10:00 AM Walk Begins

12:00 PM Event Ends

Becoming a Team Captain is one of the most impactful ways to show your support. It’s your chance to gather your friends, family, or coworkers, start a conversation that could be a beam of light for someone else, and lead the charge toward a stigma-free future. When you walk with NAMI, you finish the day with more energy, inspiration, and connection than when you began.

Questions About Forming a Team? Need Customized Email Templates or Messaging to Send Out? Other Questions? We are here to help you every step of the way! Reach out to Jackie Smolyar by email at: jsmolyar@namiccns.org

July Recurring Support Groups & Programs

Whether you're living with a mental health condition or supporting someone who is, NAMI Cook County North Suburban offers free support groups throughout July. All programs are free, confidential, and led by trained facilitators with lived experience.

NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group

NAMI Connections is a free, peer-led support group program for adults working on mental health recovery. You will gain insight from hearing the challenges and successes of others. The groups are led by NAMI-trained facilitators who’ve been there.

Online - Click here for more info and link to join

• Mondays | 4:00–5:30 PM

• Saturdays | 4:00–5:30 PM

NAMI Family Support Group

NAMI’s Family Support Group is a peer-led support group for any adult with a loved one who has experienced symptoms of a mental health condition. Gain insight from the challenges and successes of others facing similar experiences.

Online - Click here for more info and link to join

• Mondays | 7:00 PM

• 1st & 3rd Tuesdays | 6:00–7:30 PM

• 2nd & 4th Tuesdays | 7:00–8:30 PM

Hybrid (In Person & Online) - Click here for more info and link to join

• Saturdays | 9:00–11:00 AM

NAMI Veterans Support Group

This support group is for veterans living with a mental illness or mental health issues and Gold Star Families. Share problems you are facing and learn how others have dealt with the same issues. In a confidential environment, share your concerns and ask questions about housing, medications, government programs, therapists, transitioning from military to civilian life and anything else troubling you. You can talk with no fear of stigma or shame. No registration, just walk in. You will be welcomed!

In Person - Click here for info

• 2nd and 4th Tuesdays | 6:30–7:30 PM
  

NAMI Balance for Success

This support group is designed to balance recovery from a mental illness with life at college or work. Focus is on the challenges that come with balancing the everyday pressures of work or college life and living with a diagnosed mental illness.

Online - Click here for link to join

• Tuesdays | 7:00–8:30 PM
  

Grief & Loss Support Group

When a person with mental illness is no longer with us, it’s natural to grieve. Through the Grief and Support group, participants find healthy ways of remembering and honoring someone they care about. You will find a community of others who understand your pain, and like you, are learning to let go, needing to let go of blame and becoming whole again.

Online - Click here for link to join

• Saturdays | 10:00 AM–12:30 PM
  

SAVE THE DATE

Next Family Insight Evening - Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Topic: From Conflict to Connection: Practical Communication Tools for Caregivers

Learn compassionate, practical communication strategies that help reduce conflict, build trust, and stay meaningfully connected with a loved one living with mental illness.

This group open to adults who have participated in NAMI Family-to-Family or NAMI Family Support Groups. No Registration Required.

Details

Date: Wednesday, August 5th

Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Location: First Congregational Church of Wilmette (1125 Wilmette Ave, Wilmette, 60091)

Check out Some FUN-draising Tips:

July is BIPOC Mental Health Month

Each July, NAMI joins organizations nationwide in observing Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, also known as BIPOC Mental Health Month. Established by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008, this month honors Bebe Moore Campbell — an author, journalist, and NAMI co-founder — and her lifelong work to end stigma and expand mental health support for underrepresented communities.

Mental health care isn't one-size-fits-all. For many BIPOC individuals and families, entering a system of care where their culture, language, and lived experience aren't always reflected or respected remains a real barrier to getting help. This month is a reminder that culturally responsive, trauma-informed care isn't an extra — it's essential.

How you can take part this July:

• If you identify with a minority community, consider connecting with others who share your experience, or sharing your story to help someone else feel less alone.

• Check out NAMI National three-part YouTube video series here: Watch Sharing Hope: "The Art of Healing"

• If you're an ally, use this month to amplify BIPOC voices, learn more about the disparities in access to care, and support the organizations doing this work.

• Explore NAMI's national resources on Bebe Moore Campbell Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, including toolkits, events, and ways to get involved in your own community.

Healing happens in community — and this month, we're proud to stand with NAMI's national efforts to make that community more inclusive for everyone.

Help Us Continue to Serve Our Community

Your financial contribution directly supports our mission to improve the lives of persons and their families affected by mental illness through support, education, advocacy, and research. Everything we do at NAMI CCNS is only possible because of people like you. On behalf of the NAMI CCNS Team and those that we serve - thank you for being a vital part of our community!

To make a donation, click the button below.

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8324 Skokie Blvd
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