When I first started it I was the Day Program Director at a local mental health provider. I had a roster of 125 persons with about 80 attending daily. These people were mostly Spanish speaking from the Caribbean and South America, here in Miami with no family and an inability to speak English. The mental illness was the third and most difficult for them to deal with. Our program became their family and support system. I decided to play Friendship Games with the other agencies that were doing that type of work. Today the non- profit agencies in Miami-Dade and Broward counties get together to continue this tradition. It is a joyful and a great opportunity for the consumers of mental health services, to get together for fun and to show the community that they are “people first” not an illness. Won’t you join me in the celebration? The stigma of mental illness is still great and we know for sure that 1/10th of our community members are living with some type of mental challenge.
Will you help me put a face on how we can, in all the communities of these United States, find the courage to stand in solidarity with these people. It is worth it. Please write me back or call me at 786-337-5965.
Carol Hope, Founder Director, Friendship Games
PO Box 69-3393, Miami Florida 33269
mylifeforcerenewed.com/
authorsden.com/carolhhope
Email: carolhope19@msn.com
PS -- At age 30 I suffered from an acute attack of clinical depression that almost took my life. Someone reached out to me and pulled me back. Thanks for your kind consideration. CH
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