Fairwinds—Nantucket’s Counseling Center Has the Answer
by Vanessa Park
Making adjustments because of Covid is something we’ve all had to do. Those adjustments are often tremendously difficult—from home-school to isolation from loved ones to employment and housing loss.
At Fairwinds, we were blessed with the flexibility to pivot immediately to tele-health so no one who needed clinical services had to go without care. The pandemic also meant an adjustment to our fundraising plans… and the result was serendipitously positive.
First let’s talk about why Fairwinds depends on community support. Imagine this:
A young man, in his late 20s, calls the Fairwinds number at 10:15 on a Tuesday morning. When he hangs up 4 minutes later, he has an appointment for a free telehealth counseling session at 5:00 p.m. that day.
He hasn’t worked full time for over 7 months. He’s had to move three times since the pandemic started and his girlfriend of 6 years left the island to go live with her parents. Unsurprisingly, he is struggling with depression. He knew this, but still he waited a long time before reaching out. He was nervous. He was ashamed. But then one day he overheard a coworker talking about Fairwinds and confidentiality, and he figured, “What do I have to lose?”
Free urgent, same-day appointments are just one of the many clinical offerings made possible by Fairwinds’ generous supporters. The agency offers all its professional therapy, peer recovery support, psychiatry, developmental testing, and other lines of service on a sliding scale—and Fairwinds slides all the way to zero. All are welcome, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.
So Fairwinds found a fun way for supporters to be a part of the behavioral health solution on Nantucket—despite the pandemic. What was it?
Photography! Fairwinds staff member, Robin London, happens to be a professional photographer—with years of experience in and around New York City and lower Connecticut. Her skills and our beautiful island made for a great idea to safely connect with residents and visitors alike who want a gorgeous photo and to support Fairwinds. Our portrait fundraiser got underway in early July and is still going on.
Through mid-December, you can make an appointment for you, your immediate family, or your extended family, work staff, or your closest friends—even your pets—to have a fun, engaging, lively Nantucket photo session. You receive multiple digital proofs of great photos, one high resolution image of your choosing, and the option to get professional prints on paper, canvas, and more.
What do you have to do? Donate, sign up, and say cheese!
You get great photos and the knowledge that you helped someone receive vital behavioral health services.
What does Fairwinds receive? Your generous support, and the ability to continue offering professional care to the people of Nantucket, no matter what.
