NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) presented Change, Inc. with a Provider of the Year Award at its annual conference held online on Nov. 13. The award recognizes an organization that provides mental health services that demonstrate excellence, respect and best practices.
“Their philosophy is to build strong relationships and trust, to provide services holistically, and to meet the individualized education needs of students, including social-emotional, mental health services, and basic needs resources such as meals, childcare and transportation,” said NAMI Minnesota board officer Mariah C. Owens.
“The organization has three key programs: GAP School, the Community & School Collaborative (CSC), and the Change Institute. They have truly changed the lives of so many students and we thank them for their work,” Owens added.
Change, Inc. is the product of a merger of two community-based organizations, Guadalupe Alternative Programs and Change Inc., both originally founded to serve at-risk, underserved individuals and address the challenges of systemic poverty and racism that prevent Twin Cities families from achieving their full potential.
NAMI Minnesota is a nonprofit organization that works to improve the lives of children and adults with mental illnesses and their families through its programs of education, support and advocacy.
—Information and photo provided by NAMI Minnesota.
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