Community members are invited to spend an hour talking about suicide awareness at “Talk Saves Lives,” a one-hour discussion program offered at the Evanston Public Library at 7 p.m. on Feb. 21. The goal is to work toward saving lives and stopping the pain of suicide that ripples through families and others close to those who complete the act.
This free program is run by Hope for the Day, a non-profit organization founded in 2011 and dedicated to suicide prevention. Those who attend will gain insights into how to talk to others about troubling thoughts, or even connect them to mental health resources. According to Hope for the Day, suicide completions are at a 30-year high and the primary obstacle to suicide prevention is the silence of stigma which compels people to stay silent about their internal experiences.
Christina Mendez, Evanston Public Library’s social worker, suggests that
the program is appropriate for all people interested in mental health and in open dialogue about suicide, as well as parents of teenagers, college and high school students, and anyone looking for help for themselves or a friend.
The “Talk Saves Lives” program was created by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and bestowed to Hope for the Day in August 2017. Talk Saves Lives teaches the basics of understanding suicide, how to identify signs and how to respond to symptoms.
Sip of Hope, Hope for the Day’s social enterprise, located at 3039 W. Fullerton in Chicago, in partnership with Dark Matter Coffee, will provide free coffee at the program. Sip for Hope donates 100 percent of its proceeds to suicide prevention efforts.
Registration is not required for this free program, which will take place in the Falcon Room of the Main Library, 1703 Orrington Ave.