"Someone is here to help": that's the message that Mary Jane Mullenhour wants to spread to every person that goes through the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI, support group.
Mullenhour has lead the local NAMI support group for several years; in fact, it's a passion for helping those who are dealing with mental issues that has driven Mullenhour to give her time for others for over 45 years.
It's also knowing that she's making a difference that keeps Mullenhour serving the community well after she's retired. "I volunteer because I want to give back to my community," said Mullenhour. "I've been a caregiver for many years, and with the support group that we have, when people get better, it makes us feel better. We have triumphs, we have failures, we laugh, we cry, and we remind each other that mental illness is not a character flaw or personal weakness - it’s an illness. They don’t choose to be ill."
Her daughter, Theresa Schnipke, nominated her mother for the Jefferson Award as she says her mother has been helping people for as long as she can remember. That help goes beyond even just the people that are part of the NAMI support group.
"She also has been very dedicated to elderly neighbors, to people in our community, and she recently did the military banner project in Delphos," said Schnipke. "There’s just a lot of reasons to nominate her for this award. She told me just recently she had 77 calls the first three weeks of the pandemic from families that were really struggling with COVID and their loved ones who have mental illness. That’s just who mom is - she would never, ever turn people away, she will always help them."
From helping to plan the annual Suicide Prevention Walk in Lima every year to being a founding member of the Marimor Legacy Foundation and volunteering for the many events with the Allen County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Mary Jane is no stranger to seeing a need in her community and helping those that need her most.
"It makes me feel good when we see the results of our work, and it’s important that we remind each other that you’re not alone," said Mullenhour.
