PICKING ME FOUNDATION NFP

Description

Picking Me is mental health awareness nonprofit in Chicago spreading awareness and inspiring acceptance for a Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior related to OCD that affects 3% of the global population. As this chronic disorder has only been recognized by the DSM-V since 2013 even though many sufferers, like Picking Me's founder Lauren McKeaney, have struggled with compulsive skin picking for over 2 decades almost and loosing her leg to the disorder, have no support or resources for help. Picking Me promotes finger energy off the body through their fiddle pack project, where support group member keep hands busy making fiddle packs of sensory fidget items for sufferers, supporters, and educational communities alike, hoping to start conversation around this behavior earlier on. For each pack sold we donate one to a dermatologist, pediatrician, or sufferer in need. We challenge the stigma of living with a mental illness through our #WhatsWithUrSkin campaign, send information on treatment to dermatologists so they are up to date with this disorder, provide art therapy with our Drawing with Derma Program, and partner with local advocacy orgs to continue sharing our message of #PickingMe over Skin Picking.