20th Anniversary, News
The May donation of $2,000 goes to NAMI Piedmont Tri-County
Morton & Gettys partner Dan Ballou and Betsey O’Brien, executive director of NAMI Piedmont Tri-County.
Morton & Gettys law firm is donating $2,000 to NAMI Piedmont Tri-County, which helps families affected by mental health disorders in York, Chester and Lancaster counties.
This is the fourth monthly gift the firm has provided to a community organization in celebration of Morton & Gettys’ 20th anniversary. Attorneys and staff will select ten organizations throughout the year.
Morton & Gettys Partner Dan Ballou, a board member of the local affiliate of NAMI (which stands for National Alliance on Mental Illness), chose the nonprofit to receive the May donation.
NAMI Piedmont Tri-County supports families in the area through free education classes and support groups. It also provides education about signs and symptoms of mental illness to schools, police departments and child-serving agencies.
“We are so excited about this donation,” said Betsey O’Brien, executive director of the local NAMI affiliate, who praised Dan highly for his leadership with the group. “He’s steering the ship in the right direction.”
Dan said he has been working with NAMI “four or five years, and we have grown it from the ground up, establishing a functioning board of directors, securing nonprofit status and obtaining NAMI national affiliation.” He has worked at “getting structures and policies set up, trying to use my skills as an attorney as best I can to help.”
He, too, praised Betsey O’Brien for her role: “We’re really proud of what she’s been able to accomplish. She is a real force of nature, and so passionate about removing the stigma of mental illness in our society.”
“We’re absolutely thrilled that they recognized us as deserving of their monthly donation,” she said. Especially during May, which is Mental Health Month.
How will the gift be used? “Well, we just entered into a lease for first permanent location for our NAMI affiliate,” she said. “It’s just a perfect space. So what we’re going to be using it for is to open this mental health hub for the community.”
How can others help? Donations can be made by way of the website, https://www.namipiedmont.org/.
NAMI also needs volunteers, especially at this time of year with all the public events in which it participates. “Our office is all buzzing with cutting green ribbons,” which are wrapped around trees in the area in celebration of the May observance.
And even more help will be needed between now and October 9, as NAMI prepares for its main fund-raising event of the year, NAMI Walks, which will be held October 9th at Cherry Park in Rock Hill. Check the website to find out how you or your organization can participate: https://www.namipiedmont.org/get-involved/nami-walk/
