Yardi<\/a> Vice President of Client Services Greg Smith recruited a team of 10 representatives from various departments. United by matching gray t-shirts inscribed TKO<\/i>, the Raleigh office joined Walk for Hope to honor the memory of the late Tim K. Owens.<\/p>\n\u201cTim was one of the nicest guys that you could ever meet,\u201d recalls Greg. \u201cHe was easy to be friends with and he had this great, adventuresome spirit: he rode motorcycles, played guitar, and loved to travel to exotic locations.\u201d<\/p>\n
When Tim wasn\u2019t at enjoying his hobbies, he served Yardi as a manager of Client Services. He was an incredibly hard worker, appreciated by his colleagues and popular with clients. But Tim\u2019s momentum ended too soon. \u201cHis battle with depression eventually led him to take his own life,\u201d says Greg. Tim\u2019s untimely death shocked the Raleigh office.<\/p>\n
Many Walk for Hope participants share similar stories of struggle and loss. It\u2019s a common thread that Shelley Belk would like to see severed. As the Executive Director of Foundation of Hope, Shelley strives to see a community that is united in victory over mental illness.<\/p>\n
![\"Team](\"https:\/\/www.yardi.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2014\/03\/Team-TKO.jpg?w=300\")
<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the biggest problems with mental health is that people aren\u2019t getting the help that they need because of the stigma,\u201d Shelley explains. \u201cWe need people to understand that just like a heart that\u2019s not working properly, a brain may not be working properly and there are ways to help. It\u2019s nothing to be ashamed of. They need to take advantage of that help.\u201d<\/p>\n
Foundation of Hope aims to remove the social stigma surrounding mental illness by bringing the discussion into the public. Fundraising events like Walk for Hope double as a community support groups where families can share stories and resources. \u00a0After each event, representatives of the health industry are present to education and assist those with questions about mental well-being.<\/p>\n
After 27 years, Shelley is starting to see a difference. \u201cThere is still a lot of shame and embarrassment but people are beginning to discuss their family\u2019s illnesses more than they did in the past. It\u2019s a slow process,\u201d says Shelley. \u201cWe feel like the Walk for Hope has helped to lift that stigma. When you come out here, you know that everyone around you has been touched in some way. People see that they\u2019re not alone. It gives them permission, in a way, to know they can open up.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the public speaks more openly about mental illness, the search for cures and treatment gains fervency. Board members at Foundation of Hope discuss the most promising trial research, channeling financial support to innovative ideas coming out of UNC Chapel Hill\u2019s research facilities. If these three-year trials yield promising insights, the studies pique the interest of the National Institute of Mental Health, leading to larger grants and continued study.<\/p>\n
Yardi\u2019s contributed seed money for this year\u2019s breakthrough research. Additional funds will also be used to orchestrate the 27th<\/sup> annual Walk for Hope, which will take place on October 12th<\/sup>. \u201cWe thrive on the support of businesses like Yardi,\u201d says Shelley. \u201cTheir contributions are a lifeline that can truly save the lives of others.\u201d<\/p>\nTo make your contribution towards life-saving research, sign up for Walk for Hope 2014<\/a> or explore ways that you can get involved<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"On a cool October morning, Raleigh community members congregated outside of Angus Barn Restaurant. They weren\u2019t there for the restaurant\u2019s award-winning steak or stellar service. More than 3,800 people gathered to participate in the Thad and Alice Eure Walk for Hope. As Foundation of Hope\u2019s premiere fundraiser, the organization has raised more than $3.8 million […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":440,"featured_media":9992,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_s2mail":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1717,5,3354],"tags":[98,148],"class_list":["post-9966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-giving","category-people","category-team-yardi","tag-yardi-corporate-philanthropy","tag-yardi-volunteers"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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![\"Walk](\"https:\/\/www.yardi.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2014\/03\/Walk-for-hope.jpg?w=300\")
On a cool October morning, Raleigh community members congregated outside of Angus Barn Restaurant. They weren\u2019t there for the restaurant\u2019s award-winning steak or stellar service. More than 3,800 people gathered to participate in the Thad and Alice Eure Walk for Hope. As Foundation of Hope\u2019s premiere fundraiser, the organization has raised more than $3.8 million for the research and treatment of mental illness.<\/p>\n