LCMH Meets Endowment Match Challenge

We did it! Or, more accurately, you did it! On June 29th, 2009, Cheryl Olson, the chairperson of the Larimer Center for Mental Health Endowment Fund announced that we had met our goal of raising $140,000 to be generously matched by the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado.

"Thanks to the incredible spirit of giving put forth by Larimer Center supporters, as well as the commitment of the Community Foundation, our Endowment Fund has now reached $210,000," said Ms. Olson. "These dollars are especially crucial right now, as they will ensure that mental health and substance abuse treatment are available to residents without insurance, Medicaid, or the financial resources to pay for these life-saving services. This is a growing population in our county, and one we can not forget."

Cheryl Olson has a long list of achievements when it comes to community activism. A former Larimer County Commissioner, she is currently the chairperson of the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Partnership. This group of stakeholders and community members meets monthly to restructure how Larimer County provides services to those with mental illness and substance use disorders, and Cheryl was their natural selection as a leader. Additionally, last year, she co-chaired the Bridge the Gap Citizen's Committee working to pass Ballot Initiative 1A so that the county would have an Acute Treatment Unit for those suffering from acute symptoms of mental illness and/or substance abuse.

One might wonder where Cheryl Olson finds the time, energy, and commitment to devote to all these causes.