The CHAS Foundation

Don't Suffer in Silence

Website in loving memory of Frances Brock.
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The Dragonfly Collection

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kCourage-logoInspired by the story of a mother who lost her son to mental illness. She recognized her son’s spirit in the form of a dragonfly at their family lake house and has since seen the dragonfly as a personal symbol of courage and remembrance. In honor of her son and so many others who have lost loved ones to mental illness, K. Courage Designs has created the Dragonfly Collection in collaboration with The CHAS Foundation. A portion of the proceeds will go to The CHAS Foundation, working throughout the Hampton Roads area to promote mental wellness and to advocate for those effected by mental illness & their families.

Visit the K. Courage Website

Patient Recreation Material Initiative

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In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, The CHAS Foundation is starting a new initiative to help provide local In-Patient Psychiatric Treatment facilities with safe recreational items for the patients.

Mental Illness is already a difficult condition to overcome, and nothing can stifle the spirit as much as idle minds and idle hands.  Certainly, having a safe refuge for people too ill to care for themselves is paramount, but there is a basic dignity in humanity with having an industry or an outlet, especially at a time when patients are separated from loved ones and lonely.  In fact, having calming activities at their disposal will most certainly help relieve anxieties, reduce depression and improve morale.  This may seem like a small thing to some, but for patients in psychiatric facilities, it can tremendously improve quality of life and self-esteem, which is crucial for recovery.

“Boredom has been reported as a common experience for service users of acute psychiatric wards. It has been associated with negative mental and physical health.”

– Boredom proneness in a psychiatric inpatient population.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21813480

In our institutions of care for the mentally suffering, there is a striking need for mental and physical occupation.  Boredom only breeds malcontents.  Therefore, the CHAS Foundation seeks your help in providing these patients with the activities, distractions, and occupations that we all need, but in a way that best facilitates their recovery.

To set the foundation for this effort, we are working to provide Sentara Norfolk General’s In-Patient Psychiatric facility with items that can really improve the quality of their patients’ lives.  Hopefully we can expand this program to other local facilities in the future.  And we need the help of the community to get this going!

**All items must be soft covers and without staples or spiral bindings for patient and staff safety.  Please also consider content of material as well, so the patients can have uplifting, inspiring and motivational material at their disposal.  All below items are approved by Sentara Medical staff.

ITEMS NEEDED:

Paperback books
Magazines
Puzzle books
Coloring books
Playing cards

For now, we have one drop off location for this project, but would love to have another business community partner willing to accept donations for this cause.  If you are a business interesting in helping with this project, please contact us at info@thechasfoundation.org, and we will contact you with details.

For those of you donating items, please include your name and contact information, so we can thank you for your generosity and support of this initiative.  Our current drop off location is:

The White Rabbit

334 W. 21st Street

Norfolk, VA 23517

Spring Update

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Currently, we are in the process of transitioning to a new website and gathering resources in order to connect those in need to effective treatment.  The Chas Foundation would like to keep you up to date on our ongoing projects:

  • Development of New Online Resource Website
  • Funding Clothing & Toiletries for The Crisis Stabilization Center
  • Furnishing waiting room for CIT Assessment Center in Norfolk
  • Director, Beau Kirkwood, is an Instructor for the CIT Police Training Representing the Family and Community perspective.
  • Educate Politicians Using a Consulting Expert and Partnering with The Treatment Advocacy Center for Better Implementation of the MOT Law.
  • Awareness Campaign to Erase The Stigma Throughout All of Hampton Roads

 

We Wish Everyone A Happy And Safe Holiday

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The “2nd Annual Chas Foundation Celebration” held this fall was a huge success thanks to all of our sponsors, supporters, and volunteers.  The weather was fabulous with a turnout of nearly 350 people coming to draw awareness to mental illness in our community.  The first step in raising awareness is being able to talk about these diseases while erasing the stigma that accompanies them. The Chas Foundation received a large amount of positive feedback about the event because it allowed an open forum for folks to comfortably discuss matters in our society that are normally taboo.  Pictures of the event have been posted to Facebook so please have a look.  We again want to thank everyone involved in making this a truly special event.

 

“2nd Annual Chas Foundation Celebration” Supporting Families With Mental Illness

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Please Purchase Tickets at O’Connor’s

Come join us at O’Connor Brewing Co. on October 25, 2014 for great food, drinks, and music in aid of The Chas Foundation. The event will be held from 5 pm until 9pm.

Catered Food and Beverages (including Beer & Wine) are included in the ticket price.

Tickets are $50 in advance/$60 the day of and are now available for purchase using our secure payment system. Your credit card will show a processed transaction from Paypal/The Chas Foundation and upon purchase, a receipt will be sent to your email. You will not need to print out a ticket. Once tickets have been purchased to the event, only name/identification will be needed for entry.

Tickets Must Be Purchased At O’Connor Brewery The Day Of Event

Sponsors

Ann Orwig (Design Elements): Donation of Furniture to Norfolk Assessment Center

O’Connor Brewery

$5,000 Presenting Sponsor:  Anonymous

$2,000 Gold:  Franklin Johnston Group, Osage Of Virginia

$1,000 Silver:  TowneBank, O’Keefe Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, Finney Zimmerman Psychiatric Associates PLC, Coastal Pacific Food Distributors, Katherine Moore, NYR Organic-Nancy Wilcox, The Hall Family, Mary Neal King, Tucker Corprew, Lauren V. Wolcott CPA, KITCO Fiber Optics, Mark & Elizabeth Lawson, Merrill Lynch

$500 Bronze:  No Frill Grill,  The Morgan Real Estate Group, Jesus & Ashley Inciong, Bill & Margaret Ballard, Rick & Edye Johnson, Doug & Cindy Wilson, Inlet Properties Real Estate, Decorum, Sullivan Law Group, PLC, S.B. Ballard Construction Co., Coastal Imports, Sterne Agee

 

Get the Facts about Mental Health Issues

facts about mental health issues

Tucker’s Story

My name is Tucker Corprew. I am the mother of three sons and the owner of two retail consignment shops in the Ghent area of Norfolk. My middle son, Chas, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and psychosis in his early 20’s. He was prescribed lithium but, despite taking his medications, he became … Read more...

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Contact Us

The CHAS Foundation
7400 Hampton Blvd.
Norfolk VA 23505
(757) 489 2427
info@thechasfoundation.org

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The contents of this website are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice; the content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a mental health condition.  Never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this site.  In the event of an emergency, call 911 immediately.  This website does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions or other information that may be referred to on this site.