This fall, thousands of people from across the country will participate in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Out of the Darkness Community Walks, including one in Chicago. The Chicago walk is one of nearly 175 walks being held this fall nationwide, from September through December.
Get involved in Chicago’s Out of the Darkness Community Walk on Saturday, October 10th in Lincoln Park. The Chicago walk course will begin in Lincoln Park in Grove 2 at 10am. All who have been touched by suicide loss are welcome.
The walks are expected to unite more than 45,000 walkers nationally and raise nearly $4 million for AFSP. Last year, AFSP conducted 156 community walks that brought together over 36,000 walkers and raised more than $3.4 million. All proceeds will help AFSP fund suicide prevention and awareness initiatives, vital research, survivor support programs and outreach programs.
Undoubtedly, suicide has become a serious national health problem. It is estimated that close to one million people make a suicide attempt each year and that every 16 minutes someone dies by suicide. Untreated depression is the leading cause of suicide and more than 19 million people suffer from depression each year. Tragically, suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among adults aged 18 to 65 and accounts for more than 32,000 deaths each year, which is double that of homicide.
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is the only national not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide through research and education, and to reaching out to people with mood disorders and those affected by suicide. Suicide takes an enormous toll on families, friends, co-workers, schools and an entire community. Please help stop the stigma and end suicide.
To learn more about the event, please visit www.AFSP.org or www.outofthedarkness.org.
