Almost everyone knows someone dealing with a mental illness that could lead to suicidal thoughts—and if not treated—suicide itself. It may be their daughter, their father, their cousin, a friend, or an acquaintance. The scariest part is, they may not even be aware of the thoughts their loved one is dealing with, and how close to the edge they may be. In New Jersey suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for 24-34 year olds and the 3rd leading cause of death for 15-24 year olds. 42,773 Americans die by suicide each year, and for every suicide there are 25 attempts. These numbers are startling, especially because suicide is a topic that most people shy away from, only leading suicidal people to feel even more in the dark. Faith Banca and Rebecca saw the issue at hand and decided to shed a light on it.

Faith Banca and Rebecca Cruz established Sing into the Sunlight in 2013, holding the first concert and festival for suicide prevention and awareness when they were both only 16 years old. What started as a single concert grew into an annual event and an organization called Into the Sunlight. The organization’s mission is to raise awareness for suicide prevention, end the stigma of mental illnesses, and help people find happiness in their lives. Since their first concert, they have held two additional Sing into the Sunlight events, as well as 2 spaghetti dinner and karaoke nights called Dine into the Sunlight. Now, both freshman in college they are trying extremely hard to expand the organization they started working on their freshman year of high school. 

Additional Suicide Facts:

In New Jersey suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for 24-34 year olds and the 3rd leading cause of death for 15-24 year olds.

Overall, suicide is the 10 th leading cause of death in the entire United States.

Each year 42,773 Americans die by suicide, and for every suicide there are 25 attempts

Many suicide attempts go unreported or untreated.

Surveys suggest that at least one million people in the U.S. each year engage in intentionally inflicted self-harm.

-American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

More Links

 

http://afsp.org/

Telephone numbers

551-497-1348