More than 1,500 expected Saturday at walk for mentally ill

County of Los Angeles

Department of Mental Health

 

Marvin J. Southard, D.S.W.                                              Kathleen Piché, PIO                Director of Mental Health                                                                  (213) 507-2976

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

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MORE THAN 1500 WALKERS AND SUPPORTERS WILL PARTICIPATE IN “NAMIWALKS” 5K EVENT IN SANTA MONICA, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2009

 

LOS ANGELES – The Sixth Annual Los Angeles National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) “NAMIWALKS for the Minds of America” 5K event will take place Saturday (Oct. 3) at the Third Street Promenade (1300 block of Third Street) in Santa Monica from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

 

Scheduled to participate are more than 1500 walkers and supporters from Los Angeles County who are expected to raise more than $300,000 to support programs of education, research and advocacy for those who suffer from mental illness including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, obsessive compulsive disorder and severe anxiety disorders.

 

In 2008 “NAMIWALKS for Minds of America” was held in 74 cities nationwide, attracted over 97,000 walkers/supporters who raised more than $7.5 million. Since its inception in 2003, a total of 300 “NAMIWALKS for the Minds of America” events have been held, engaged more than 250,000 walkers/supporters, and raised over $28 million.

 

On-site registration for the Los Angeles “NAMIWALKS for the Minds of America” 5K walk begins at 8AM, pre-walk activities commence at 9:30AM., and the actual walk starts at 10AM.

 

For more information, contact Los Angeles “NAMIWALKS for the Minds of America’s” office at (213) 251-6519 or go to: www.nami.org/namiwalks/ca/los.