The 2023 Off The Mask Art and Fashion Show is a social event and fundraiser put together by staff and volunteers of the National Alliance on Mental Illness New York State (NAMI-NYS) as an opportunity to advocate and spread awareness of mental illness while raising funds in a fun and exciting way. On the runway! Every year the Off The Mask Planning Committee selects a creative inspiration to guide our fashion show. This year's Off The Mask Art and Fashion Show Fundraiser is inspired by “the masks we often create to take on the outside world. We will be pulling out that which some say we struggle with and embrace it as an embodiment of what makes us truly unique. We are not defined by our mental health struggles. We are a colorful pattern of authenticity within it.”
Each year 1 in every 5 individuals in the US experience a mental illness. And stigma is the leading cause for people not seeking needed mental health support and resources. Not to mention that many individuals who are ready to engage in support many times live in areas that do not offer sufficient accessible and equitable access to mental health services. As you can see, even though we have achieved a lot, our most challenging work lies ahead. By supporting the Off The Mask Art and Fashion Show Fundraiser you are spreading awareness of mental illness while helping us raise funds to support our programs and services which are provided free of cost. Your support will help us be one step closer to achieving our vision of creating a world where people with mental illness can live healthy, fulfilling lives surrounded by a community that cares.
