IN THE UNITED STATES, a person dies by suicide every 16 minutes, claiming more than 33,000 lives each year. It is estimated that an attempt is made every minute; with close to one million people attempting suicide annually. Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. among adults 18-65, the third leading cause of death among teens and young adults, and individuals ages 65 and older account for 16 percent of all suicide deaths.
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is the leading not-forprofit organization exclusively dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide through research, education and advocacy, and to reaching out to people with mood disorders and those impacted by suicide.
By walking in AFSP's Out of the Darkness Community Walks you will be walking with thousands of people nationwide to raise money for AFSP's vital research and education programs to prevent suicide and save lives, increase national awareness about depression and suicide, and assist survivors of suicide loss.
Registering is simple and there is no fee to participate -- just click here, select the community walk nearest you, click the "Register Now" button on the event page and complete the form. You will be guided through the registration process. Once your registration is complete, you will receive an email confirmation. You can then set up your own personal web page and begin fundraising.
Raising money and forming teams are easy with the tools provided on the website. Register today and make your own gift to start your fundraising efforts. You can e-mail your family, friends, and co-workers, print out sponsorship forms, and personalize a fundraising letter. If you raise $150 or more you will receive an Out of the Darkness T-shirt on the day of the event. You will also be eligible to earn incentive prizes.
A contribution to AFSP is a good investment! Over 83 cents of every dollar goes directly to AFSP's programs for research, education, advocacy, and programs for survivors of suicide loss.
We encourage you to register online and take advantage of all of the fundraising tools, but if you are unable to do so, you canr egister in person at the walk, or over the phone by calling 1-888-333-AFSP (2377) Ext. 10.
