 Lifekeeper Quilt Program We are working to create the 2011 quilt for Indiana. Many of you have quilt packets pending and we hope you will get those back to us in time for us to have the sewing done and quilts ready to be displayed at the 2011 Out of the Darkness Community Walks. If you are currently working on a square and have questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to ask Lisa Davis (Coordinator) at Lisadavis4afsp@hotmail.com or Lisa Brattain (Chapter Chair) at 317.774.1377. The squares are created by you: your picture of your lost loved one, poem, writing, etc. You choose the format and content of your square. Some have posted pictures and hand written messages on their squares. Some choose to add art work or poetry of their lost loved one. You can print your finished work on transfer paper and iron it onto the material provided... or you can take the electronic file of what you would like printed to a shop like Kinkos and ask them to print it for a high quality picture. It is entirely up to you. If you are interested in creating a square to be added to the quilt, contact us as soon as possible and we are happy to send the packet out to you. No sewing required! We will take care of that. Volunteer Opportunity SURVIVOR OUTREACH PROGRAM The AFSP Survivor Outreach Program: What It Is (and Isn't). After a suicide, those left behind often wonder if there is anyone out there who really understands. They want support and compassion, as well as reliable information about suicide and its aftermath, but aren't always sure where to find it. The goal of the Survivor Outreach Program is to facilitate trained volunteer survivors to provide support and practical information to newly-bereaved survivors upon request. The role of the Survivor Outreach volunteer is to listen, to let recent survivors know they're not alone, and to provide materials and information about local resources. Typically, Outreach Visits consist of one in-person visit of 1-2 hours in length. Outreach Visits take place upon request only, in a comfortable setting of the survivor's choice, and are generally made by a team of two volunteers. The Survivor Outreach Program is not intended to provide an ongoing system of support or any clinical or mental health service. This program is available only through participating AFSP chapters. Qualifications All potential outreach volunteers must meet all of the following criteria: · affiliated with a participating AFSP Chapter · a survivor of the suicide of a family member or close personal friend · at least 2 years from their own loss · sufficiently far along in their own healing (for example through attendance at a support group or counseling) to be able to listen, rather than needing to share their own story · able to accept that it is not their role to provide answers, but rather to offer their listening skills, support, and information about available resources · able to work well with other volunteer team members · willing and able to take a mandatory online training What will I be doing? Requests for Outreach Visits come in to the Chapter's Survivor Outreach Program Coordinator. The Chapter's Survivor Outreach Program Coordinator will obtain some basic intake information about the requesting survivor(s), and then provides that information to the volunteers assigned to the visit. The volunteers then arrange the visit directly with the requesting individual/family. In advance of each visit, the Survivor Outreach Program Coordinator provides the volunteers with packets of information for the survivor(s); these packets include information about local resources such as support groups, as well as other materials on surviving suicide loss. Following each visit, volunteers must complete a short online Volunteers' Visit Summary Form. This is a mandatory part of the program. Next Steps to becoming a volunteer 1. Complete the online Volunteer Application 2. Phone Interview with AFSP's Survivor Initiatives Department. 3. Training: All applicants must take the mandatory free online training prior to conducting any visits. 4. Volunteering: After completing the online training, you will be ready to serve as a volunteer in the Survivor Outreach Program. Your local Survivor Outreach Coordinator will contact you as needed to ask you to go on visits. 5. Ongoing support and guidance: Volunteers are welcome to participate in free monthly drop-in conference calls, conducted by a member of AFSP's Outreach Program Training Corps. If you have any questions or would like more information about the program, please contact the Indiana Chapter Survivor Outreach Program Coordinator, Lisa Davis at (317) 430-5000, lisadavis4afsp@hotmail.com or AFSP's Survivor Initiatives Department (survivingsuicideloss@afsp.org or 212-363-3500 ext. 33). | 
We are very honored to announce that the Indiana Chapter of AFSP recently won the 2010 Chapter of the Year award /Mid-Size Market at the 2011 AFSP Chapter Leadership Conference in San Diego California, where Chapter Leaders from around the country (approx.170) gathered to learn about new programs, updated research, policies and share successful chapter accomplishements that might be beneficial to share in our own communities. Although it is wonderful to have our hard work acknowledged, and we will take a moment to celebrate, this motivates us to continue to work hard to Silence the Stigma of Depressiona and Suicide, Educate Hoosiers on Depressive Illnesses, Help survivors of suicide loss find the resources that they need and advocate for better legislation regarding suicide and mental illness. We look forward to your continued support!
Are you considering The Overnight in New York City on June 4-5? Please also consider registering under the Indiana Chapter Team if you will be attending The Overnight! By joining the walk registered under the Indiana team, you will ensure that 25% of the money raised by this team will come back to Indiana for awareness, education and survivor support initiatives. Click Here to Register: 
