May has arrived and it is amazing how quickly this year seems to be flying by. It seems like it was just January but yet here it is May already. I guess that is a sign that I am indeed getting older. Sad but true fact. Especially with the recent birthday in my rear view mirror I am realizing that time really is flying by.
April found me musing about the same passage of time so I guess I am getting repetitive in my old age. During the past month my readers were wonderful, once again, and commented frequently to help raise a little donation for Reece’s Rainbow – – the April Comments for a Cause recipient. You can read more about that by clicking here.
Thanks to your comments and willingness to support my little blog Chris and I will be making a donation of $105 to Reece’s Rainbow this month. Thank you to each one of you for taking the time to stop by and leave a comment.
So what will be our charity for May? May is Mental Health Month and it seems like that is one of the best areas to be supporting right now. Mental health is such an important area and I actually did my field experience for social work in a mental health clinic eons ago. It has always had a special place in my life and helping in any way to help people get help when they need it is vital to me.
Mental Health Month was established in 1949 to increase awareness of the importance of mental health and wellness in Americans’ lives, and to celebrate recovery from mental illness. Mental health is essential for a person’s overall health.
During May I have decided that our Comments for a Cause recipient will be American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. It is time for all of us to have some honest conversations about what we can each do to help with this growing area of concern. This past year in our local school system we have had numerous deaths due to suicide as well as failed suicides. It is heart breaking.
This organization is one that is rated fairly highly by Charity Navigator and has a really great mission:
Established in 1987, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is a voluntary health organization that gives those affected by suicide a nationwide community empowered by research, education and advocacy to take action against this leading cause of death.
AFSP is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide. AFSP creates a culture that’s smart about mental health by engaging in the following core strategies:
- Funding scientific research
- Educating the public about mental health and suicide prevention
- Advocating for public policies in mental health and suicide prevention
- Supporting survivors of suicide loss and those affected by suicide
I am happy to support this cause and hope that my readers will be able to find some information that will be of interest and hopefully of help to them and to others. The website and social media channels listed at the end of this post are invaluable for the information that is shared and I am thrilled to be able to learn more myself. The following graphics (available through AFSP) are great ways to educate yourself and others and to help be a part of the solution.
Please join me this month in supporting AFSP and make a difference. Thank you so much for supporting this worthy charity.
