Frances and Jim Thomson

How did you get involved with NFCC?

Frances: I got involved with NFCC in the early days of Nick Finnegan Ministries through my lifelong best friendship with Nick and the Finnegan Family. I love Nick and I love NFCC. Before having children, I served two terms on the board and witnessed firsthand the impact NFCC makes and the hard work the team puts in to make it happen.

Jim: I also love the Finnegans and have loved getting to know Nick through them, and the stories Frances tells. I have been close to the NFCC mission through chairing and attending Crawfish Boil, and through attending the Tree of Life Gala, each fall.

As former chairs and long-time supporters of our Crawfish Boil, tell us more about the event and why you keep attending.

We chaired our first Crawfish Boil when Frances was 9 months pregnant with our son in 2018. We love the family-friendly nature of the event, getting our kids involved with the NFCC mission, and celebrating Nick’s legacy. It’s the best Saturday of spring!

In your opinion, what is the most important work NFCC does?

Affordable and accessible counseling is just so important, and we love that NFCC brings that to those who need it! Bill and Susan were so smart to get behind this cause and honor Nick’s memory in such a meaningful way nearly 20 years ago. We know counseling has been important to them in various seasons of life, as it has been to us, and should be for all. We love that NFCC provides support to anyone regardless of their age, finances or beliefs. 

Why is mental health important to you? What do you do to take care of your own mental health?

Our involvement in NFCC over the years has impressed upon us the importance of mental health and encouraged us to seek help for ourselves immediately when needed during the inevitable ups and downs of life. I love that NFCC has served as a beacon for the importance of mental health in our community, helping to break the stigma of reaching out for help when it is needed.