Thanksgiving Wishes

Thanksgiving is a special time for us, an opportunity to reflect and give thanks for all that we hold dear. In that spirit, we at Caramore would particularly like to express our heartfelt gratitude to you for the support and generosity you have shown for our program. For almost 35 years, the mission of Caramore has remained steadfast --- to empower adults with mental illness to live productive and satisfying lives. Caramore continues to accomplish that mission by providing housing and job opportunities within an environment that respects the dignity and potential of all adults who live with mental illness.

In reality, carrying out this mission is quite challenging. It is only through the special help and generosity of individuals such as you that we have been able to see hundreds of our clients achieve their goal of independent living.

While the heart of Caramore lies in its dedicated staff, a large measure of our success is a direct result of the impressive level of commitment that you and others have shown through your efforts. Your dedication and support helps create a significant part of the environment that empowers our clients to help themselves. You help demonstrate to our clients that they can live rich and rewarding lives with mental illness --- that there is nothing to deter them from fulfilling their dreams. Without your involvement and personal commitment, many of the Caramore participants might never realize their dreams of independent living.

It is with great joy and sincerity that we thank you for your generous and concerned help. Your spirit and support allows us to carry out and continue the important work that we do. You are truly very special to all of us.

Thanksgiving blessings to you and your families,

David Chapman & The Caramore Staff

FRANK Gallery Salon: Brushes with Life: Art, Artists, and Mental Illness

On Thursday, November 11; 6:30PM at the FRANK Gallery (109 E. Franklin St., Chapel Hill), the TGI Thursday Salon will offer community members, professionals, artists, and mental health consumers an opportunity to engage in conversation about how art and mental illness interplay as part of the creative process, and as part of the recovery journey. Select pieces from theBrushes with Life exhibit will be on display and remain for the Second Friday Art Walk on Friday, November 12; 6:00-9:00PM.

Brushes with Life is a creative arts program open to people with schizophrenia and other mental illnesses through UNC’s STEP and OASIS clinics in the Chapel Hill area. By connecting with the larger community though their work, artists promote a broader understanding of the human side of mental illness. For more information check out: http://cecmh.org/center-in-action/specialized-programs/brushes-with-life/ or http://www.frankisart.com.

Brought to you by the Healthy Carolinians of Orange County Mental Health and Substance Abuse Committee to raise awareness of the challenges and contributions of people with severe and persistent mental illness in our community.

Additionally, they hope to engage members of the community in supporting and expanding the Mental Health Association in Orange County’s Compeer Program, a project that fosters supportive friendships between people with mental illness and volunteers.