The National Alliance for Mental Health (NAMI) hosted its inaugural Raising Hope, a benefit held May 20 at the home Lisa and Trip Ludwig.
NAMI helps people with mental illness and their loved ones through support, education, advocacy and psychosocial services.Â
The event celebrated the late Anne Ford Heard and the Hon. Calvin Johnson. A licensed clinical social worker, Heard also had great impact as a NAMI Support Group and Family to Family Facilitator, as well as serving as a NAMI New Orleans board member. Johnson, a retired judge, was instrumental in building awareness and enacting changes, such as establishing the first Mental Health Treatment Court in Louisiana, sitting on the NAMI New Orleans board and stepping up to lead NAMI New Orleans in 2022 as interim executive director.
In addition to the honors, the event featured music from Electric Yat Jazz Trio, an extensive spread of hors d’oeuvres and signature cocktails, including the Blackberry Bramble and a zero-proof French 75.
More than $75,000 was raised at Raising Hope, NAMI’s inaugural spring event. NAMI’s fall event is the NAMIWalks on Oct. 28 in Lafreniere Park.
Fun Fact: The invitation and the floral centerpieces featured sunflowers and yellow flowers — yellow is the color of hope. The exterior of NAMI’s main facility is also yellow.
Alvin Edinburgh, Ashleigh Castro
Stephen Rosenfeld, Susan Norwood, Hon. Calvin Johnson, Susu KearneyÂ
Virginia Weinmann, Gregg HabelÂ
Trip Ludwig, Lisa LudwigÂ
Judith Haspel, Jackie Shreves, Betty Tedesco
