$3 Million Raised in One Night for Suicide Prevention

2016 Out of the Darkness Overnight Walks Announced in San Francisco and New York

News provided by

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Jun 30, 2015, 03:27 ET

NEW YORK, June 30, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is proud to announce that more than $3 million was raised in the Out of the Darkness Overnight Walk in downtown Boston on June 27-June 28, 2015. Over 2,454 people from across the United States registered to walk through the night in the pouring rain to bring awareness to this important health issue.

"Every year suicide claims more lives than war, murder, and natural disasters combined, and yet suicide prevention doesn't get anywhere near the funding given to other leading causes of death. It's through the work of organizations like the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention that funds are raised for this important issue," said AFSP CEO Robert Gebbia. "I am proud of the number of walkers and volunteers who came out today in support of our mission. It's through their hard work that minds will change and people will come out of the darkness to talk about this issue that is so often misunderstood."

The Overnight is the largest annual fundraising event held by AFSP, and includes participants from across the country who walk more than 16 miles from sunset until sunrise to raise money and awareness for suicide prevention. This year's event began at Boston City Hall with a ceremony recognizing nine walkers, including To Write Love on Her Arms founder Jamie Tworkowski, who have been resilient in the face of losing someone to suicide or who live with suicidal ideation. The walk passed known Boston landmarks like Copley Square, Boston Common, Fenway Park, and Castle Island; and Carlos Arredondo, the Boston Marathon hero, who lost his son Brian to suicide in 2011, was there at the beginning of the event to offer encouragement to the walkers. At the end of the event, two walkers got engaged under the orange and blue balloon arch finish line.

The 2016 Out of the Darkness Overnight walks are scheduled for May 21-22, 2016 in San Francisco, and June 4-5, 2016 in New York City.

Money raised from the walks supports the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and funds research, educational programs, public policy initiatives, and support for those affected by suicide. Each walker raises a minimum of $1000 to participate in The Overnight. Since its inception in 2002, over 30,000 people have participated in an Overnight Walk, over 5,000 people have volunteered, and over $36,000,000 has been raised to support the cause. In April 2015, a similar event was held in Dallas where 1,437 people walked and nearly $1.5 million was raised.

Sponsors for this year's Boston Out of the Darkness Overnight walk included: Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc., Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P., WBUR (90.0 FM), WMJX (106.7 FM), the Red Sox Foundation, and Tattly. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor for next year's events, please contact Nicole Dolan, [email protected].

To register for 2016 Overnight events, please visit theovernight.org.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention leads the fight against suicide. We fund research, offer educational programs, advocate for public policy, and support those affected by suicide. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, AFSP has 75 local chapters with programs and events nationwide. Review our Annual Report to learn more about AFSP's life-saving work. Join the national conversation on suicide prevention by following AFSP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.