The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Long Island chapter will hold an awareness walk on Sunday at Old Westbury Gardens to raise money for its research and education programs about depression and suicide prevention.
The foundation’s walks, officially called the Out of the Darkness Community Walks, span 3-5 miles and will take place between 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., with check-in beginning at 9 a.m.
According to a news from the foundation, suicide is the third-leading cause of death among teens and young adults, with more than 38,000 people committing suicide each year. The foundation estimates that 1 million people attempt suicide each year.
“Suicide is a tragedy that can be prevented if we reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness so that people will seek treatment,” said Stan Camhi, a Garden City attorney and board member of the foundation’s Long Island chapter. “Our community walk helps achieve that goal.”
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention was founded in 1987 as an education and advocacy program for suicide research and prevention as well as for reaching out to people with mood disorders and those impacted by suicide.
Since 2000, the foundation has invested $10 million in new studies and research for the treatment of depression and those who are suicidal.
