30th Anniversary Fundraiser - Northern Virginia Mental Health Foundation

After three decades of helping Fairfax and Falls Church City residents with serious mental illness access resources they would otherwise be denied, the Northern Virginia Mental Health Foundation (NVMHF or “The Foundation”) will celebrate its 30^th anniversary on September 9, 2023 4:00 to 7:00 pm, at the PRS Headquarters in Oakton, VA.

“The Foundation’s mission is to help provide for the needs of those in our community who are on their journey to happier, more productive lives,” said Dr. Cindy Koshatka, President of the NVMHF. “Even the small grants we award can change lives.”

Speakers will include Delegate Marcus Simon of Falls Church, who has worked on improving mental health services in Virginia, and Daryl Washington, Executive Director of the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board.

Since 1993, the Foundation has filled gaps in social programs by helping to prevent evictions with stopgap rent assistance, increasing access to mental health treatment, helping individuals with out-of-pocket medical and dental costs and even buying books for a young man studying at a local college.

NVMHF works exclusively with the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) which is a public provider of mental health and substance use disorders treatment and counseling for low-income residents. The Foundation receives grant requests from case managers at the CSB who have identified clients who need goods or services to help stabilize their circumstances and improve their mental health. To receive a grant from the Foundation, clients must be in active treatment, be low income and have exhausted all other financial resources.

The Foundation is a nonprofit organization that relies on donations from individuals, churches and synagogues, work-place giving campaigns along with corporate contributions. NVMHF is run by a nine-member, all volunteer Board of Directors. Because of minimal overhead, last year 93 percent of donated funds were given out to persons in need.

“We hope people will come out to our event to support our work and help us keep fulfilling our mission to help our neighbors better deal with the challenges of mental illness,” Dr. Koshatka said.