Compeer was founded in 1973 in Rochester, N.Y., with just 12 volunteers at its start-up. Today, on average, 4,000 volunteers in Compeer locations around the world serve people with mental illness or emotional challenges.
The National Institute of Mental Health chose Compeer as a model program in 1982 and funded the development of similar programs throughout the nation. Today, Compeer is a model mental health organization with 50 locations in the U.S., Canada and Australia.
Routinely recognized as a national model, the agency has received the Presidential Recognition award by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the inaugural Eleanor Roosevelt Community Service award, the Presidential Volunteer Action Award, four Points of Light awards and recognition from the American Psychiatric Association.
Compeer Inc. develops, delivers and supports model programs that inspire and engage communities through the power of volunteer friends and mentors of our Compeer affiliate programs to improve the quality of life for adults, children, and families who strive for good mental health.
Compeer Inc. provides supportive leadership to its community-based Compeer programs throughout the United States, Australia, and Canada.
The objectives of Compeer Inc. are to support our affiliate programs through program expertise, branding, and marketing communication and to grow our current base of programs, by providing a cost-effective solution to communities.
Compeer Inc. serves and supports our affiliate programs with program start-up training and best practice management, timely news and regional and national conferences, and web-conference educational series.
Through our time-tested model and evidence based practices of supportive friendship and mentoring, Compeer Inc. creates programs to meet the diverse needs of communities that want to improve and positively impact the lives of individuals and families living with mental health challenges.
Compeer Inc.’s community based programs serve adults, veterans and their families, youth (youth in-transition, mentoring children of prisoners, youth at risk) and the elderly with volunteer mentoring and supportive friendship programs. Our programs are measured annually and our outcomes are consistently proven effective year after year through positive survey results on individual’s improved self-esteem, and reintegration into family, home, faith and community and increased likelihood of employment; overall quality of life.
Compeer serves children, adults, and their families. Consider spending an hour a week as a friend or mentor to a Compeer youth, adult, or calling program and you will make a friend for life. We’re happy to talk to you about the many different ways you can become a part of the Compeer family!