About Sunny Porch
The Sunny Porch is a non profit organization started in honor of:
Anna Marie Harrington
June 5,1994 – June 23, 2020.
Anna Marie Harrington was a local surrealist living with schizoaffective disorder. Anna expressed her experience with mental illness in her art. It is our hope that by preserving and sharing Anna Marie’s art and music legacy, we can shine light on the myths and misunderstandings about living with mental illness and bring hope and support to others and their families. We also aim to break the stigmas still surrounding living with a mental illness.
Anna’s expressed a hopeful desire to bring inspiration to other artists while encouraging them to utilize their art for communication and self-therapy. In her own artist statement Anna said that through her art she,
“escaped the sometimes harsh realities of life and broke down barriers of the known to the unknown.”
Our Mission
Mission Statement:
MENTAL WELLNESS EDUCATION & OUTREACH.
Our mission is to eliminate the stigmas of mental illness and educate the public about living with mental illness. The Sunny Porch provides educational materials to build awareness about brain health and well-being. We promote the arts as a therapeutic outlet and implement programs such as mental health art workshops on college campuses which are a forum for mental health discussion. This strategy is a research-supported practice in which we aim to impact the overall need for conversations and activities surrounding positive mental well-being in the community.
SUICIDE AND OVERDOSE PREVENTION.
We also produce and distribute educational materials and resources surrounding substance use disorders and dependance, harm reduction options, and the deadly dangers and risks of new forms of fentanyl and methamphetamines present in street drugs.
SUPPORT AND INFORMATION.
In addition, we aim to help make connections for assistance more visible through listings and connections for family members and individuals trying to navigate the often limited and restricted system of services in Iowa.
BOARD MEMBERS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & TREASURER / Stephanie Harrington
VICE PRESIDENT / Brian Harrington
DIRECTOR / Connie Hudnall
VOLUNTEERS & SOCIAL MEDIA
VOLUNTEERS COORDINATOR / Payton Anderson
EDUCATION
MENTAL HEALTH & EDUCATION MANAGER / Connie Hudnall
VENUE & EVENTS
EVENTS MANAGER / Stephanie Harrington
MEDIA KIT & PRESS RELEASE
PRESS OFFICER / Katheryn Anderson
Anna’s Story
1994
Anna Marie Harrington was born in 1994. She was a military child and grew up overseas. Anna lived in Okinawa, Japan and Germany as well as various other stateside duty stations. Anna showed an early ability for the fine arts. Drawing, painting were her passion and she produced her independent music album at 17. She earned her cosmetology license in both Kansas and Iowa and found cosmetology as a way of making others feel good about themselves.
2012
Anna was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2012 and later with bipolar disorder. A dual diagnosis and multiple hospitalizations identified her mental illness more precisely in 2016 as schizoaffective disorder. Anna suffered delusions, auditory and visual hallucinations, paranoia and a negative self perception despite her beauty and natural charisma. She enjoyed periods of stability and recovery with medical treatment. However, schizoaffective disorder is very difficult to treat especially when a drug use disorder is also present.
2020
Despite optimal health care services and multiple attempts at drug rehabilitation, Anna lost her battle to drug addiction on June 23, 2020. Accidental death of Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, was the cause of her death.
2021
Anna Marie left a legacy of artwork and music behind. It was the message and content within them that inspired us to start a public charity in Anna’s honor for the purpose of eliminating stigmas associated with living with mental illness and drug use disorders. It is our purpose to help others and educate the public about the challenges that mental illness present for individuals and family members and provide support in navigating a difficult and often unaccessible health care system.
