"I'm always grateful to talk to Samaritans- I think you guys are one of the greatest things in the world"-Caller

In This Issue:

Giving Tuesday is November 29th

#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving.

On Giving Tuesday Samaritans will introduce our 2017 Boston Marathon Team with some fun facts and a contest! 17 dedicated individuals will run 26.2 miles for suicide prevention on April 17th. Together they are working to raise $150,000 for Samaritans (or more!)

Watch for an email and posts on social media on November 29th to learn about our 2017 team members and how you can help them give back on Giving Tuesday.

Planning to Shop on Amazon? Support Samaritans!

Did you know that you can support Samaritans with everyday or holiday shopping? Just sign up for AmazonSmile, select Samaritans as your supported organization and go to smile.amazon.com whenever you want to make an Amazon purchase. A portion of your purchase will be donated to Samaritans to support suicide prevention.

Inspiring Hope: NASCOD Conference

Ron White, Chief Program Officer and Ruth Woods Dunham, Director of Crisis Services attended the National Association of Crisis Organization Directors conference in Tempe, Arizona.

The theme of this year's conference was Inspiring Hope and they both came away reinvigorated and inspired. The conference is attended by Crisis Center Directors from across the country and is a great opportunity to network and learn from others.

Conference highlights included a session called Lived Experience and Leaders. Several leaders of crisis centers shared their personal experience with mental health and addiction issues, as well as their own suicide attempts. The voices of lived experience should have a seat at the table and we recognize now many people come to us seeking to volunteer because the issue of suicide has touched their lives and they want to make a difference in the lives of others and we value their contributions. Other interesting workshops included how honoring "Cop Culture" can improve community crisis systems and diversion opportunities. Partnering with local law enforcement and understanding their protocols is an essential component of community safety.

Both Contact USA and NASCOD sponsored the conference.

Coping with the Holidays

It's hard to believe that it is already that time of year...the beginning of the holiday season.

For many, this is a time of celebration and togetherness, making memories and practicing traditions with those we love the most. This time of year can be difficult for anyone who has experienced a loss, but it may feel impossible for those who have experienced a loss by suicide.

It may be unthinkable to celebrate a holiday when your loved one has died by suicide. Everything feels different. Friends and family may be encouraging you to just go through the motions, to "take your mind off of it," as if it were just that easy. No matter what those around you may say, there is no wrong way to handle your grief, especially during this time of year. You have experienced an impossible loss, you are hurt, and you deserve to heal in any way you feel comfortable. If you find yourself feeling completely at a loss as to how to cope with the upcoming holidays, here are a few tips:

Make your loved one's favorite food to honor them.
Light a candle for your loved one at the table.
Say your loved one's name - they may not be there with you, but make their memory present.
If you need to, skip the holiday altogether this year. Try to celebrate it next year.
Have a plan B in case you decide last minute you are not ready to participate in the festivities.

Samaritans' Grief Support Services (GSS) is dedicated to bringing support to survivors during an impossible, tragic time. GSS is composed of devoted and compassionate volunteers that understand the extraordinary grief that comes with losing a loved one to suicide as they, too, have suffered this unimaginable loss. If you find yourself in need of some extra support this holiday season, or want to learn more about our services, please visit us here.

What we've learned- Out and About

Here on the prevention side, things are in full swing! We've held a large variety of workshops this month, from teaching middle school students in Brookline, to Nursing students at Northeastern, all the way to lawyers hoping to better support their clients. The variety in our workshops highlight just how much suicide effects so many different groups, and just how much people desire the knowledge and the skills to have meaningful and honest conversations on these topics.

At our workshops, we ask participants to write down anything they've learned from the training and any comments that they want to share. Here are a few comments from recent workshops:

"I learned that suicide prevention is not about providing solutions, but about listening, engaging, and letting the person be heard."

"I learned to not shy away from asking questions because I'm scared of how they'll respond."

"This training was very worthwhile and should be required of everyone in helping professions."

"I learned that I don't need to have or be able to find the exact words, just be compassionate and listen."

"This training helped me in understanding that I am not the only one who has to handle the situation. I have an entire support network to turn to."

Suicide prevention training is an essential community need. If your school, company or community organization is interested in arranging a training, you can find more information here, or contact Lauren.

Work at Samaritans!

Interested in preventing suicide as a Samaritans' staff member or intern? We are currently accepting applications for: