Our May events and trainings were attended by 501 people! Every May there is a heightened interest in supporting mental health programs and talking about mental health issues because May is Mental Health Month. We are delighted that so many people took the opportunities that were offered to learn more about good mental health and about suicide prevention awareness. It was our pleasure to work together with our partners, CHKD, NAMI, The Chas Foundation, I Need a Lighthouse, EVMS, and The Barry Robinson Center to present the Kids in Crisis film and panel discussion and the Youth Suicide Risk and Prevention Conference, which was attended by both community members and medicial professionals. The Slover Library hosted two of our programs for teens and parents, while we went solo hosting a third one. Smartmouth Brewery joined a coalition of national and international breweries and created a series of messages around Things We Don’t Say which featured messages designed to break down stigma around mental health and centered around a new IPA with crisis numbers on the can label. Way to get the message out there! Smartmouth will be donating proceeds from the Things We Don’t Say beer to us. Lastly, we kicked off our 2021 Annual Campaign with the Give Local 757 Giving Day on May 11. We are grateful for the donors who keep our programs available and free for everyone to attend!
We love Mental Health Month because it gets everyone talking about mental health and suicide prevention. It always feels like the start of a new year for us! We provide programs and resources all year to break down stigma and teach anyone about suicide prevention awareness. Make a commitment to yourself that this year you will attend a training so that when you encounter someone who may be at risk for suicide, you will recognize the warning signs, you will know what to say, and you will be able to reach out with help, safety, and resources for them. Together, we will stop suicide.
