Mental health organization in Colorado Springs one of many taking donations for Colorado Gives Day

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- December 7th is Colorado Gives Day, a day solely focused on supporting and donating to non-profits across the state. In Colorado Springs, one of the participating non-profits in the state initiative is the National Alliance on Mental Illness Colorado Springs (NAMI).

"We try to be here, not just for that first phone call as people are maybe dealing with a new diagnosis and trying to figure out what it means, but also for the long-haul, whatever it might be that’s gonna help them at various points along their journey," says Kirk Woundy, Associate Executive Director at NAMI. 

NAMI provides mental health services, free of charge, to groups, families and individuals in the Pikes Peak region.

Woundy says mental illness is more prevalent in our lives than we think. Statistics show one in five people will experience something along the lines of anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder.

And the problem, Woundy says, is only getting bigger.

“A survey earlier this year found that anywhere from 45 to 49 percent of local people were experiencing worsened mental health or emotional well-being as a result of the pandemic," says Woundy.

Despite how common it is for one to experience mental health problems, Woundy says it takes 10 years for someone to receive the help they need.

"It’s really challenging for people to take on something that is so, in some ways, mysterious, often so unexpected, and so isolating when they’re going through a mental health condition," Woundy explains.

On Colorado Gives Day, donations to non-profits like NAMI are matched by an incentive fund by those who oversee Colorado Gives Day -- potentially doubling the assistance they'll receive for their mission.

There are over 3,000 non-profits across the state of Colorado you can donate to. For a list of non-profits, click here.