HAMMOND, IN, September 30, 2019 – Governor Eric J. Holcomb will take to the skies on Saturday, October 12th, rappelling five stories during the 2019 Northwest Indiana Over The Edge fundraising event, hosted by Lake Area United Way and the Times Media Company. The Governor has joined the Mental Health America of Northwest Indiana (MHANWI) Team to raise awareness of continued local efforts to reduce Infant Mortality.
“Last year, Governor Holcomb invited our organization to keep the lines of communication open regarding our focus on education, prevention, and early intervention as a means to address adverse childhood experiences and positively impact infant mortality rates in Northwest Indiana,” said Andrea Sherwin, President & CEO, MHANWI, “I’m not sure the Governor expected his invitation to result in being asked to go five stories Over The Edge, but we are thrilled to announce that he has accepted the challenge with excitement and enthusiasm. We are beyond excited to have the Governor’s support and look forward to cheering him on!”
Over The Edge is a unique fundraising event that allows participants an opportunity to raise money for the organization of their choice and rappel down the iconic Centier Centre in Merrillville, IN; however, Governor Holcomb has been invited as a guest of MHANWI for the sole purpose of raising awareness of critical health and wellness challenges facing NWI families and children.
MHANWI is a past and current recipient of Safety PIN grant dollars, awarded by the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) to support of MHANWI’s free programs and services that aid in the reduction of infant mortality. Programs and services include home visitation, prenatal support, infant care and safety, early childhood development, school- and home-based support for teen parents, postpartum support groups, smoking cessation, parent coaching, school readiness, and positive parenting techniques based in building protective factors.
In 2018, MHANWI served nearly 3,500 families and conducted over 15,000 home visits throughout Northwest Indiana.
“When it comes to the welfare of children, we are proud to collaborate and work with a vital network of individuals and organizations dedicated to Governor Holcomb’s infant mortality initiatives. Working together, we can help ensure that more Indiana babies reach their first birthday and beyond. We are grateful to the Governor for continuing to shine the light on this critical issue – and for answering the call to join MHANWI and other participating organizations on October 12th to keep the well-being of NWI children and families top of mind. We’ll be cheering Governor Holcomb on as he rappels for the safety and security of our smallest citizens – our children,” concluded Sherwin.
Mental Health America of Northwest Indiana (MHANWI) has served the Northwest Indiana community for over 60 years, transforming the community through proven programs that educate, empower, and strengthen the way families function for life. Founded in 1957 as an advocacy group working on behalf of persons living with mental illness, MHANWI has grown into a vibrant, innovative organization serving close to 3,500 families each year, with a unique focus on children and youth. MHANWI believes in prevention and early intervention as a means to mitigate risk factors that negatively impact mental health. We prescribe to the philosophy that mental health is the pursuit of well-being and that by providing education and support through evidence-based and evidence-informed programs, we will save and improve lives, creating meaningful generational change.