How NAMI Fox Valley is Empowering Women This May

Posted on Jun 5, 2026

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to step back and reflect on how we are truly doing. At the Women’s Fund for the Fox Valley Region, we know that mental wellness is the foundation of a woman’s ability to reach her limitless potential.

We recently sat down with our partners at NAMI Fox Valley to discuss their upcoming community initiatives, the unique barriers women face, and the transformative impact of the $5,000 Impact Grant they received to support local women and girls.

Why We Focus on Mental Health

The statistics are clear: 1 in 5 individuals will experience a mental health condition this year. For women, these challenges are often compounded by the roles they play. Women are frequently the primary caretakers, juggling endless responsibilities that can make it difficult to pause and identify when their own mental wellbeing is suffering.

“Taking care of yourself and checking in with yourself is a necessary first step to all we do,” Maren Peterson, Executive Director at NAMI Fox Valley. “The more we take care of our own wellness, the more equipped we are to help others and do good in our community.”

Breaking Barriers with the Women’s Fund Impact Grant

Last year, the Women’s Fund provided a $5,000 Impact Grant to deepen NAMI’s support for women through mental health support groups for women and social educational gatherings.

NAMI Fox Valley is able to host three monthly support groups for women, one in Spanish and two in English. These groups see nearly 100% of participants reporting a direct benefit to their mental health.

They also host twosocial educational gatherings per quarter, one in English and one in Spanish which provide a safe, low-structure space for women to connect. One recent gathering allowed the opportunity for participants to create a handmade journal and papermaking. These activities reduce stress and boost self-esteem while fostering informal, meaningful connections.

Culturally Specific Support: A Focus on the Latina Community

Mental illness does not discriminate, but access to support often does. NAMI is working to bridge this gap by offering spaces led by and for individuals from the Latina community.

These Spanish-language groups have seen incredible feedback, with participants returning month after month. Providing a space with a shared language and shared cultural understanding creates a level of safety that is essential for true healing. While Spanish is the current focus, NAMI hopes to expand into other languages in the future.

Hope is the Greatest Resource

One of the most powerful aspects of NAMI’s work is the power of lived experience. Their peer support groups are facilitated by people who are living in recovery themselves.

For a woman in the middle of a crisis, seeing another woman who has moved through similar challenges and is now thriving provides something uniquely powerful: hope. By removing financial barriers—offering all programs free of charge with no insurance or diagnosis required—NAMI ensures that every woman can start her journey toward recovery.

The more we are in touch with our own mental health and take steps to take care of our mental health and wellness, the more equipped we are to help others and to do good in our community. Taking care of yourself and checking in with yourself is a necessary first step to all we do.

Are you or a loved one navigating a mental health challenge?
NAMI Fox Valley has been a staple of our community for over four decades. Visit their website at [Link to NAMI Website] to explore their free support groups and educational programs.

Together, we can break the stigma and ensure every woman in the Fox Valley has the support she needs to thrive.

NAMI Fox Valley is here as a free resource for anybody who is experiencing mental health challenges or a love one experiencing mental health challenges. Their programs are designed to be very easily accessible and we encourage anybody who is navigating mental health challenges to visit their website which outlines their areas of programming.

If you are interested in supporting the work that NAMI Fox Valley does in the Fox Valley, they encourage you to spread the word of the work they do and their mission.

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