Stories of Hope

DBSA Chapters have demonstrated caring and compassion through the recent hurricane disasters.  Some chapters have offered to take their support groups to local shelters and disaster recovery centers, or wherever they are needed. Others are soliciting funds at meetings for DBSA chapters affected by the hurricane.

“We are working with some truly compassionate DBSA chapters,” said Barbara Hylard, DBSA Constituency Relations Director.

Susan Wagner, DBSA Open Arms (Baton Rouge) Secretary, searched internet coffee shops during power and phone outages to keep her DBSA community connected at www.DBSAOpenArms.org. She used the chapter’s message board to post information on area emergency help, and encouraged people with mood disorders affected by the hurricane to stay strong, saying,

“This is a great time to practice any newly learned coping skills. Please be sure that you stick to your treatment as much as possible even though life may be a bit upside down for a while. During this time of stress, it is even more important.”

Clairepatrese Sams Milligan of DBSA Montgomery (AL), sent wishes to all who were affected, saying,

“We just want to remind ourselves that we are a community - a family.  So if any one of us hurts, let's all of us try to help each other.”

DBSA New Orleans (LA) also received many expressions of support from DBSA Chapters around the country. They posted on www.DBSANewOrleans.org,

“We appreciate all your offers and may be in a better position to accept them soon.”