Valuable Information

Hey Friends,

I received an e-mail from Bob Gebbia, the executive director of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. I wanted to share the info in it because it really explains why we all do this and where the money goes.

How the money is used:

• Invest in 18 new research studies that will advance understanding of the causes of suicide and its prevention
• Organize at least 5 new AFSP chapters across the country
• Recruit thousands of additional grassroots volunteers to advocate for suicide prevention
• Expand the outreach program which links trained volunteer survivors with the recently bereaved to offer support
• Distribute AFSP's new educational film for high school students to teach them about adolescent depression and the importance of getting help
• Complete a film and materials to train teachers, guidance counselors and other school personnel about suicide prevention
• Use our film on physician depression and suicide to educate physicians and medical students to recognize depression in themselves and their patients

Broken down how much money can help:

• For every $50 you raise, we can provide educational materials to 25 people, emphasizing the importance of early identification and treatment for those suffering from depression and other disorders that put them at risk. If just one person seeks help for depression, a life could be saved for less than the cost of dinner and a movie.
• For every $100 you raise, AFSP can educate a mental health professional or primary care physician about the warning signs of suicide; they, in turn, will reach hundreds - maybe thousands - of people.
• For every $500 you raise, a new Survivor of Suicide support group facilitator can be trained, and the members of the group will be given a chance to be with other survivors who understand, and will know that they are not alone.
• For every $1,000 you raise, you, together with 20 additional walkers, we can fund a year of research into the genetic, biological or behavioral factors that contribute to suicide. The number of lives potentially saved by this research is incalculable.