I have experienced many changes throughout my life and understand that we can not always do things alone.  Some of us are fortunate to have family and friends to lean on and to turn to, however there are many that do not have this luxury.  I spent several years in my early adult life working and living with the ones with mental illnesses, less privileged lives, and past abuses. I work with Community Friendship because I love the people and I grow personally by being near those who love and those who love to serve.

It is my pleasure to serve on the board of directors for Community Friendship Inc. I am passionate about advocating for Individuals with behavioral health needs and fostering supportive communities.  With a long history of working with Individuals facing behavioral health challenges, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of peer support. Peer support promotes healing and also cultivates a sense of belonging and understanding among those navigating similar paths.

I believe that by contributing my knowledge and commitment to our mission, I can help shape initiatives that empower individuals and strengthen our community. Serving on the board allows me to work collaboratively with others who share this vision, ensuring that we create meaningful opportunities for connection, healing, and hope for all. 

CFI is a fixture in of the mental health landscape. It provides so much to our community. I want to give back to an organization that has given support and promoted recovery for individuals who traditionally have few options and resources. Because of CFI, so many adults with severe and persistent mental health conditions are living fuller, meaningful lives!

The leadership and staff at CFI are superb and provide an exemplary service. I want to support this effort in anyway I can because the support provided by CFI makes a world of difference in an individual’s recovery. I wish that everyone that needed services like what CFI provides could obtain them.

I support CFI and have been on the board for 14 years because CFI does so much good in supporting individuals with mental health challenges.   I have had my struggles with mental health since I was in college and have been able to rely on family during the darkest times.   CFI provides support to individuals that can't rely on family to support them through the dark times.

I have been involved with CFI as an advisory or governing board member for over 40 years and my love and respect has grown over time. CFI is widely acknowledged as a program of excellence because it puts the consumer at the center of what it does. Sounds simple doesn’t it? But it takes visionary leadership and caring staff who do the hard work every day.
The next year will be full of opportunities and challenges but I’m confident that the staff and board will meet these in a way to put CFI on firm footing for another 50 years or excellent service.

I have always been impressed with CFI’s person-centered, holistic approach to providing services and much of what they do is unique and cutting edge.

 The staff I have had the opportunity to meet are dedicated and truly compassionate about what they do which is evident in how they talk about their work and the consumers they serve.  CFI is making a difference in the lives of many and I want to do what I can to support the staff and their efforts.

CFI most exemplifies my passion to be included in transforming ostracized individuals disabled by mental, behavioral, and psychiatric health challenges from community ostracism and exclusion to community embracement, welcomed inclusion/integration, and personal thriving through support, understanding, and enabling growth relationships, i.e., things that improve all our lives.

I have spent my career representing indigent individuals in the criminal legal system. Many of my clients have had severe and persistent mental health conditions. I support CFI because I want to continue to serve this population outside of the context of the criminal legal system. I have seen how transformative organizations providing a holistic approach to community building can be and am honored to be a part of a CFI's mission to support, uplift, and empower the most vulnerable among us.

In addition to personally experiencing the loss of a brother-in-law with schizophrenia because he was unable to stay on his meds, I have also long believed that persons with any type of mental illness deserve greater support, financially and socially, from the public.  While I lack the skills and knowledge to help such persons directly, serving on the Boards of CFI and its housing affiliates over the years has allowed me to help ensure that this support is provided through Community Friendship’s expert and dedicated staff.

For over fifty years CFI has epitomized dedication and service to individuals with long term psychiatric disabilities. It is committed to listening, to learning, and to serving. From day programs to vocational programs, from supportive group homes to apartments, CFI is always evolving to meet changing needs. For me, as well as for its clients, it has been a source of strength and hope.