MONTREAL, Jan. 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Suicide Action Montreal (SAM) is proud to announce its annual fundraising campaign in partnership with Desjardins to benefit suicide prevention in Montreal as well as its new campaign chair Mr. Guy Leclerc, cardiologist at the CHUM and former member of the board of directors of SAM. For more than 37 years, SAM has been working to prevent suicide and its serious impacts by offering first and second line intervention to people with suicidal distress, to those around them, as well as to people bereaved by suicide. Due to the situation surrounding the pandemic and the health measures currently in effect, SAM has had to cancel the benefit event of February 10.
After a year filled with challenges where we had to deal with a 30% increase in interventions related to suicidal distress, we need, more than ever, the help and support of our community in order to continue to help those who really need it. Having moved to 2nd place among the regions of Quebec with the highest rate of suicidal ideation, Montreal and its community are showing an increase in suicidal distress that is increasingly alarming. During the first year of the pandemic, the organization notes increases of 10% in calls and 30% in interventions since April 2021 that SAM has had to deal with and adapt its services and teams to meet this demand. More than ever we see the importance of mental health, but especially the importance of suicide prevention services. It has become urgent to give the necessary means to mental health organizations so that they can act and offer the services that the population currently needs in order to deal with this distress. The pandemic has brought gaps in mental health to light and we can no longer deny the urgency. It is for this reason that this year we are asking for your help and appealing to your generosity to support our cause, our mission, but above all all the stakeholders and volunteers who allow us to continue to offer a service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. /7 to all Montrealers. This year, the financial goal is $300,000. This amount will allow our organization to continue its activities while remaining accessible to all who are in need.
The donation campaign, which will take place from January 30, 2022 to February 28, 2022, aims to amplify the voice of those who really need it, to raise awareness of our mission among the general public using educational content and to promote services through poignant testimonials shared on our various platforms.
Suicide, we must talk about it! This February, join the cause of suicide prevention.
If you are worried about a loved one or are in distress, contact them.
1-866-APPELLE (277-3553) available at all times free of charge anywhere in Quebec or le suicide.ca offering chat and SMS services.
You can support the annual fundraising campaign by making a donation for suicide prevention by visiting the Suicide Action Montreal website.
SOURCE : Suicide Action Montreal www.suicideactionmontreal.org
CONTACT: Sophie-Charlotte Dubé-Moreau, Director of Philanthropic Development, Communications and Events, [email protected]
A photo accompanying this release is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c82b6e62-2555-47fb-915d-a35d5b1cac03/en
fundraising photo
