Gigi Crowder to Receive the Changemaker Award at the 12th Annual East Bay Philanthropy Awards

Gigi Crowder — Executive Director of National Alliance on Mental Illness Contra Costa

Gigi Crowder serves as the Executive Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Contra Costa. Under her leadership, NAMI Contra Costa is at the forefront of ensuring all those impacted by mental illness have a safe place to get support. Despite the barriers created by the Covid-19 pandemic, Crowder is committed to ensuring no one is overlooked due to their ethnicity, culture, or mental health status.

Due to Crowder’s work to enhance mental health services at NAMI Contra Costa, the organization has increased its capacity and now directly serves over 7,500 individuals and families a year. Gigi is also a regular speaker at the Board of Supervisors where she advocates tirelessly for Contra Costa County to fund programs that are inclusive, establishing better demographic representation and creating a sense of belonging for all residents.

Crowder is determined to guarantee those experiencing severe mental illness or a mental health emergency receive the most appropriate response, reducing their risk of further harm or criminalization. NAMI Contra Costa leads in these efforts and Co-Sponsored the Miles Hall Suicide Prevention and Lifeline Act, authored by Assembly member Rebecca Bauer-Kahan. The act pushes for a non-law enforcement response to mental illness that will reduce harm and criminalization of mental illness. Crowder advocated to name the bill after Miles Hall, a 23 year old black man killed in Walnut Creek while experiencing a mental health emergency. This transformative bill has passed through the legislature and was signed into law by Governor Newsom in September.

Gigi Crowder has significantly increased quality, comprehensive support for those experiencing mental illness in Contra Costa County and in the state overall.

We are so excited to honor Gigi Crowder with the Changemaker Award at the 2022 Philanthropy Awards on November 17. If you are interested in attending please register here.

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