One of the things we often take for granted is the small connections we make as a coalition. In our monthly meetings and beyond, we present information in the hope that it may save a life or make an impact. Something as small as making someone aware of a community resource can make a huge contribution to an individual. Coalition member Ted Wright recently recalled how our small footprint made a huge impact on an individual.

Someone reached out to him who was a survivor of suicide loss. She didn’t even know Ted was a part of the coalition. He shared with this individual, who had a relative die by suicide, The International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Every November they host live and virtual events to bring together others who are impacted by suicide loss. This individual later reached out to Ted and talked about how they did go to the meeting and they developed ongoing connections as a result. They reported that it was “so helpful and I can’t tell you how grateful I am”.

Stories like this happen frequently but it was a reminder of the power of the work that we do as a task force. We make impactful connections for individuals and groups. Connecting suicide prevention training with a local school of nursing. Connecting the local Veterans Administration trainings with community members. Connecting a local peer run organization with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Making community members aware of creative efforts to address mental health and substance abuse issues using theatre. This is just a small sample and hope to increase the fabric of connections in our community.

These are the stories to us that matter and the power of coalition building. We hope you will join us to connect the dots in our community. Look for our monthly meetings and events we promote and please contact us to see how you can be involved.