I have the privilege to serve on the Board of Directors for Chad’s Legacy Project (“CLP”), a non-profit organization that was created by Todd and Laura Crooks in 2016. Todd and Laura’s son Chad battled Schizophrenia and, at 21 years of age, lost his battle with the disease despite having full access to Mental Health care. Chad died by suicide four years ago on January 21, 2016.
Chad’s story is not uncommon. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in young people ages 10-24, and 90% of those who died by suicide had an underlying mental illness. Almost 25% of all Washingtonians have a mental health illness, more than nearly any other state. But, when it comes to treatment, Washington is among the lower tier in the nation. CLP aims to fix that.
CLP is working to change that by bringing together leading professionals across the mental health arena to end mental illness stigma, improve access to care and enhance psychiatric research in a quest for more effective treatments, and hopefully, cures.
On February 8, 2020, CLP hosts its primary fundraiser, a masquerade auction and gala, Unmask the Night; Revealing the Face of Mental Illness at MoPOP in Seattle. Funds raised at this event go towards lobbying for mental health public education standards, training mental health first responders and family members involved in crisis, and supporting and training peer counselors.
Adler Giersch supports the efforts of CLP to advance and improve the lives of those suffering from mental illness and is a proud sponsor of Unmask the Night. If you are interested in attending the event, or to donate to this case, please visit:
https://chadslegacyproject.schoolauction.net/unmask2020/homepages/show
Event Details:
- What: Unmask the Night: Revealing the Face of Mental Illness Masquerade Auction Gala
- When: February 8th, 2020
- Where: MOPOP, Seattle Washington
- Who: 250+ corporate, healthcare, civic, philanthropic and community leaders from across Seattle
