“Out of Darkness”

By: Briana Wasil, News Editor

This Saturday, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is hosting its annual “Out of Darkness” Buffalo Walk. The walk will start at 10 a.m. along the Buffalo Canalside with family, friends, different organizations, company teams, etc., coming together for whoever it is they’ve lost or to support someone who is struggling with mental health. Bonnie Webster, the Area Director for Western New York at AFSP, gave valuable insight into the significance of continuing to promote these events that honor people lost to suicide. “It creates hope that we can prevent others from dying by suicide. The money we raise [also] continues to support the research, programming and services we provide at community events,” says Webster. 

When asked about what programs AFSP offers, she mentioned, “Talk Saves Lives is a community educational program we use to teach people how to talk about suicide. It addresses questions about ‘how do you approach that friend?,’ ‘how do you listen?,’ ‘when do you know that it's time to step in and when to get the person help?’ Overall, how do you handle these situations?” Talk Saves Lives is an overarching program with specific subsets for Latinx & Hispanic Communities, LGBTQ+ Communities and more. A new program that’s in the making specifically highlights the needs of families and communities of veterans. Since many veterans return needing help readjusting to civilian life, this program will aim to “support both them and their families.” All of the AFSP programs provided are based on research and evidence: “We’re trying to get to the roots of what causes suicidal thoughts– there’s no one thing that causes it. This also includes working with our governments to make sure they’re doing appropriate funding like the 988 National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or mental health research.” 

AFSP is expecting around 3,000 people this Saturday. “It’ll be a very interactive event,” Webster says, explaining, “we’ll have a band and resource tents filled with community organizations, such as our Hope and Healing event that provides different opportunities for folks to have conversations.” AFSP not only fosters a safe atmosphere for individuals within these communities but also actively advocates for better funding and resources dedicated to the future of mental health. To learn more about the organization, visit: https://afsp.org.