My connection to Howard Center began over 30 years ago when my husband and I first moved to Vermont. I was looking for volunteer opportunities at a mental health nonprofit, and I called Howard Center where they immediately invited me to take part in an upcoming annual event for children. The event matched local high school basketball players with students at Baird School for a day of active fun, culminating in an all-inclusive basketball game. My job was to work at the concession stand. Since I was the tallest of the concession stand volunteers, I was assigned to the cotton candy machine, a job that required reaching over a tall, box-like enclosure to make the cotton candy. This memory still makes me smile. I also remember the joy and energy of the young people involved that day, which inspired my commitment to get more involved in Howard Center’s work.
While this is the factual account of my introduction to Howard Center and the eventual roles I would have there (volunteer, board member, employee), I – like many – have a much deeper reason for holding genuine love and loyalty to the agency.
My family has a long history of mental illness. The prevalence of this disease is overwhelming. Research tells us that “1 in 20 U.S. adults experience mental illness, and 17% of youth (6-17 years) experience a mental health disorder” NAMI, 2023. My mother, the kindest person I have ever known, struggled with mental illness and took her life by suicide when I was 16, the oldest of four children. The loss of my mother occurred in the 1970s, and the topic of suicide was not discussed. Additionally, the world still had much to discover and understand about the complexity of mental illness.
Sixteen years after the loss of my mother, Howard Center was the place where I first experienced a deeper understanding of mental illness. I learned about the agency’s many programs to support those struggling with the disease and their loved ones. I witnessed first-hand Howard Center’s intentional work to disrupt harmful stigmas, and I had the extraordinary opportunity to take part in discussions about mental illness and suicide. The impact of this learning was profound for me. I was given a clearer understanding of what my mother had endured during her lifetime, and I received affirmation for what I always intuitively knew was true: my mother was so much more than her illness. I also was inspired to become a mental health advocate alongside those already doing phenomenal work in the field.
Howard Center will always be special to me and my family, and we are honored to support their work. I believe the agency authentically celebrates individuals while allowing space for honest conversations about the challenges each person faces in their lives. I am forever grateful Howard Center answered my phone so many years ago and invited me to join their caring community.
NAMI Infographic is available here.
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Susie Merrick | Finding Fulfillment and Inspiration at Howard Center
My connection to Howard Center began over 30 years ago when my husband and I first moved to Vermont. I was looking for volunteer opportunities at a mental health nonprofit, and I called Howard Center where they immediately invited me to take part in an upcoming annual event for children. The event matched local high school basketball players with students at Baird School for a day of active fun, culminating in an all-inclusive basketball game. My job was to work at the concession stand. Since I was the tallest of the concession stand volunteers, I was assigned to the cotton candy machine, a job that required reaching over a tall, box-like enclosure to make the cotton candy. This memory still makes me smile. I also remember the joy and energy of the young people involved that day, which inspired my commitment to get more involved in Howard Center’s work.
While this is the factual account of my introduction to Howard Center and the eventual roles I would have there (volunteer, board member, employee), I – like many – have a much deeper reason for holding genuine love and loyalty to the agency.
My family has a long history of mental illness. The prevalence of this disease is overwhelming. Research tells us that “1 in 20 U.S. adults experience mental illness, and 17% of youth (6-17 years) experience a mental health disorder” NAMI, 2023. My mother, the kindest person I have ever known, struggled with mental illness and took her life by suicide when I was 16, the oldest of four children. The loss of my mother occurred in the 1970s, and the topic of suicide was not discussed. Additionally, the world still had much to discover and understand about the complexity of mental illness.
Sixteen years after the loss of my mother, Howard Center was the place where I first experienced a deeper understanding of mental illness. I learned about the agency’s many programs to support those struggling with the disease and their loved ones. I witnessed first-hand Howard Center’s intentional work to disrupt harmful stigmas, and I had the extraordinary opportunity to take part in discussions about mental illness and suicide. The impact of this learning was profound for me. I was given a clearer understanding of what my mother had endured during her lifetime, and I received affirmation for what I always intuitively knew was true: my mother was so much more than her illness. I also was inspired to become a mental health advocate alongside those already doing phenomenal work in the field.
Howard Center will always be special to me and my family, and we are honored to support their work. I believe the agency authentically celebrates individuals while allowing space for honest conversations about the challenges each person faces in their lives. I am forever grateful Howard Center answered my phone so many years ago and invited me to join their caring community.
NAMI Infographic is available here.