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SEND SILENCE PACKING(R) PROMISES TO PACK A PUNCH AS THE MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION OF MORRIS COUNTY KICKS OFF MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH MONTH
Mental Health Association of Morris County brings Send Silence Packing to Morristown Green May 1 to focus on suicide among college students.
SEND SILENCE PACKING® PROMISES TO PACK A PUNCH AS THE MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION OF MORRIS COUNTY KICKS OFF MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH MONTH
Poignant Active Minds, Inc. day-long exhibition featuring 1100 backpacks seeks to raise awareness of mental health and suicide among college students
MOUNTAIN LAKES, NJ (April 10, 2015) – The Mental Health Association of Morris County (MHAMC), is proud to kick off May is Mental Health Month by hosting Send Silence Packing®, a traveling exhibition of 1100 donated backpacks. These backpacks represent the number of college students lost every year to suicide. This powerful program has been raising awareness of mental health issues among college students since its inception at the National Mall in Washington, DC in 2008. The program is coming to the Morristown Green in Morristown, NJ on Friday, May 1st from 10 am to 6 pm.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students and Send Silence Packing strives to promote a dialogue around suicide and mental health. Accompanying the 1100 backpacks are the personal stories and pictures of those who have died. The stories of our daughters, sons, brothers, sisters, and friends, provoke passersby to learn about mental health, suicide prevention, and where they or those in need can go to seek help.
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“For over 10 years, Active Minds has worked tirelessly to raise awareness about mental health and combat the stigma surrounding it, but our work is never over,” said Alison Malmon, Executive Director of Active Minds, Inc. “I’m particularly proud of Send Silence Packing, a powerful visual that really shows how serious an issue this is on college campuses.”
Malmon started the non-profit Active Minds in 2003 as a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania after the suicide of her only brother, 22-year-old Brian, following his largely silent struggle with depression and psychosis. With active chapters on more than 400 US college campuses serving more than a million students, Active Minds student volunteers engage other students in conversations about mental health to help combat the stigma of mental illness. The program encourages participants to seek help if they need it in the hopes of preventing future tragedies similar to Brian’s.
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“Programs like Send Silence Packing make a very visual statement on the mental health issues so many of our college students face, and too often keep silent,” said Lou Schwarcz, President and CEO of MHAMC. “We believe it is important to start May is Mental Health Month by partnering with Active Minds, an invaluable organization that shares our passion for educating the public on mental health and suicide prevention.”
The day-long Send Silence Packing event will feature speeches, a performance from the Mental Health Players, and a proclamation read by the Mayor of Morristown recognizing May is Mental Health Month. The program is the first of many MHAMC events open to the public throughout the month. For a complete schedule, visit the MHAMC website, http://mhamorris.org/, or contact Madine Despeine at 973-334-3496 x111 or MDespeine@mhamorris.org.
About Active Minds, Inc.
Active Minds is the young adult voice in mental health advocacy. By supporting a rapidly growing network of hundreds of student-led chapters at colleges and universities, Active Minds empowers students to speak openly about mental health in order to educate others and encourage help-seeking. Active Minds is a national non-profit headquartered in Washington, DC. For more information visit: www.ActiveMinds.org.
About the Mental Health Association of Morris County
Founded in 1953, the MHAMC is a 501©(3) non-profit organization that works to promote mental health awareness, prevent mental illnesses, and improve the care and treatment of people in recovery from mental illnesses through programs of education, direct service, and advocacy. Current services include information and referral, homeless outreach, supportive housing, consumer empowerment, and disaster response
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