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The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) presented Craig with the Richard T. Greer Advocacy Award at NAMI’s annual convention in San Francisco on July 7, 2009. The following is the statement from the convention program describing the award:

Named for NAMI’s first legislative director and life-long grassroots advocate Dick Greer, this award is given for leadership and vision that have resulted in significant improvements on the state and/or national level. Rev. Craig Rennebohm has worked mightily to found and grow the Mental Health Chaplaincy in Seattle. It has made a tremendous difference in the lives of homeless people who live with mental illness and in the lives of their family members, loved ones, and neighbors. Further, his advocacy to create an effective and readily accessible community mental health system in the Seattle area has brought lasting change to the community. The spiritual care that the chaplaincy provides to people in hospital and outpatient programs, and the companionship training he has crafted for chaplains and others working within congregations to develop welcoming environments within religious communities is invaluable.

CRAIG GIVES CONVOCATION ADDRESS AT CARLETON COLLEGE

Craig’s alma mater, Carleton College, honored him with an invitation to speak at a Convocation. He spoke on April 3, 2009, on the topic “Recovering Human Neighborhood.” See this write-up in the campus newspaper, The Carletonian.

SOULS REVIEWED IN AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY

In its February 2009 issue, the American Journal of Psychiatry published a positive and thoughtful review of Souls in the Hands of a Tender God, reviewed by Dr. Ezra Griffith of Yale University’s School of Medicine. Read more ...

CRAIG HONORED BY WALES FOUNDATION

Craig Rennebohm was honored by the Thomas C. Wales Foundation at its annual Night Among Heroes award dinner held November 15, 2008, in Seattle. Citing Craig’s work with the Mental Health Chaplaincy, the Wales Foundation recognized his “extraordinary example” as an “active, engaged, and passionate citizen of our community.”

USA TODAY OP-ED ARTICLE

“SEATTLE — For the past 20 years, the Rev. Craig Rennebohm has spent at least three days a week walking the streets of this drizzly city. His mission? Helping the chronically homeless people everyone else bustles past. He shepherds people with mental illness to doctor appointments. He warms folks up with coffee at Starbucks. And, always, this United Church of Christ minister tries to get some of the 2,000-plus people ‘sleeping rough’ on any given night into housing. It’s slow going.” – from “Give Them Homes,” by Laura Vanderkam, in USA Today, April 29, 2008. To read the article, please click here and then scroll down to “Give Them Homes.”