October Big Month for Nuci's Space

The blue building with “Nuçi’s Space” written in white letters across the front is more than meets the eye. The quaint structure is a library, a resource center, a practice facility for local musicians, and a place filled with hope.

The building houses the Nuçi Phillips Memorial Foundation. It was formed in 1999 by the Phillips family after losing their son, Nuçi, to suicide. The 22-year-old was a talented musician and attended the University of Georgia.

In pursuit of a new, open and welcoming way to help treat and support people dealing with mental illnesses, the foundation created a place for musicians, or anyone, to receive counseling, support and even musical enrichment all in one place.

Nuci’s Space has become the face of mental health awareness in Athens, but takes a “come at your leisure” approach to offering support.

“We try to keep the ‘preachy’ stuff to a minimum,” said full time staffer Laura Ford. “We have a library of books and resources that people who have lost someone due a mental illness can come in and use; it’s open to the public.”

The Space is primarily funded through private donations and fundraising events, such as Thunder Jam happening next Saurday, October 17, in Winterville, Ga.




The music starts at 5:00pm and the line up includes Lona, Ghostfinger, Raised by Wolves, Ocha La Rocha, and Tim Conley’s Kite To The Moon.

Nuci's is also hosting the 5K Suicide Prevention Awareness Community Education Race, or S.P.A.C.E. Race,on Oct. 24 on the University of Georgia’s campus. People either walk or run the 5K, and the goal of the race is to raise awareness--and money-- for the foundation.




Chris Byron, who got his start volunteering and has now been employed by the Space for five years, said some people are still unaware of what Nuci’s Space is, and doing events such as the S.P.A.C.E. Race raises awareness to all the foundation has to offer.

“People drive by and think we’re a restaurant or something,” said Byron. “We want people to know we’re here and what we do. The S.P.A.C.E. Race is a fundraiser that also gets our message out.”


--Ashley Thompson
currently listening to "Clean" by Incubus

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