SANDPOINT — One step at a time.

Those steps, when taken as part of NAMIWalks, create the conversation, support and the village needed for those living with mental health conditions.

The 2026 NAMI Far North event is taking place today, Oct. 3, at Matchwood Brewing, 513 Oak St., in the Granary District.

Held from 10 a.m. to noon, the fifth annual walk will begin at Matchwood Brewing and follow the Sandpoint Community Trail. Thanks to sponsors, the event is free for everyone while raising funds for NAMI's programs and resources.

Held throughout the country, NAMIWalks are more than a walk; it’s a celebration of mental health, a chance to connect and a way to take action, NAMI Far North officials said previously.

The family-friendly, wheelchair-accessible event offers 1-mile and a new 3-mile walk option along the Sandpoint Community Trail. However, walking is optional.

“I walk so others have the support my sons didn’t,” NAMI Far North board member Catherine Perusse said previously. “It’s inspiring to gather with people who truly care about mental wellness.”

Participants are encouraged to visit with friends and neighbors, enjoy live music and coffee, participate in family activities, browse silent auction items donated by local businesses and connect with local mental wellness and behavioral health resource providers.

Because NAMI's focus is on awareness and support, events such as NAMIWalks are crucial both to promoting mental health awareness and to reducing the stigma sometimes associated with mental health conditions.

"What mental health needs is more sunlight, more candor, and more unashamed conversations," Dr. Dawn Mehra, president of NAMI Far North and co-founder of Sand Creek Connections, said previously, quoting actress Glenn Close. "It's really simple."

More than one in five U.S. adults experiences a mental health condition each year, while many more experience stress, grief, anxiety or other challenges that affect their well-being. NAMI Far North works to make reliable information, education and local connections accessible across the region.

An affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAMI Far North has offered a variety of services and programs in the community since 2007. The national grassroots organization was started by three women in 1979, gathered around a kitchen table.

From that trio gathered around the table, sharing stories and dreaming of something better, NAMI has become the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization, offering education, resources, communication and peer-led support groups. In the 40-plus years since its founding, NAMI has grown to include thousands of affiliates across the country.

Funds raised benefit NAMI Far North’s local programs, including support groups, education, advocacy and the Sand Creek Connections clubhouse, which provides a psychosocial rehabilitation community where adults living with serious mental health challenges can build relationships in a safe space, develop skills, find purpose and pursue employment opportunities while helping operate the program.

To register, donate, form a team or learn more, visit namiwalks.org/farnorth. For questions, call 208-597-2047.