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"You changed my life forever." - Helpline Caller
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Thank you for joining us at the Samaritans 5K!
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It was a beautiful celebration of life and remembrance of those we have lost. The love and support shown by all involved were incredible to see. Thank you to all of the participants and supporters for making our 2017 Samaritans 5K Run/Walk for Suicide Prevention a success!
Together, we have raised $373,215 for Samaritans' life saving services! It is not too late to show your support and help us reach our goal of $400,000. Make a general donation or support your favorite team today at
samaritans5k.org.
Next year will be the 20th anniversary of this uplifting event, and we are already hard at work to make it the best 5K yet! Hope to see you there!
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26.2 Miles For Suicide Prevention!
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Have you always wanted to run the Boston Marathon? Join Team Samaritans to run and fundraise for suicide prevention!
Applications are now available for our 2018 Boston Marathon team. Apply by October 31st to receive one of our 12 entries provided by the John Hancock Non-Profit Program. Selected team members will be notified in early November.
Secured your own entry for Boston 2018? You can join our team - no application required - contact Sarah Cahill at
[email protected]
for details.
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| Welcome Back Pluse and 4Boston Students |
From a former Pulse student/volunteer:
"Going into my service at Samaritans through the PULSE program at Boston College, I was unaware about how much impact I would really make on people. After all, I was just a voice on the other end of a phone speaking to someone who I couldn't see nor would I ever meet. I was nervous, anxious, and quite frankly, confused.
That all changed the day of my first learning shift, in which I listened in on an experienced befriender on a few of his calls. I realized something. I realized that we at Samaritans do make a huge difference in our callers' lives and that speaks volumes to the impact we make in people struggling with mental illness or any other issues. I began shifting on my own, began trusting myself more, and began connecting with my shiftmates which made the experience fun and lighthearted, despite the heavy calls we were taking. I would get super excited to take the T to Park Street twice a week because I knew I was doing something rewarding and it got me out of my comfort zone. I even began picking up extra shifts because I loved the work so much. Everyone at Samaritans made me feel welcomed and valued. If I could do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing."
-Carson Angress
 As the leaves begin to turn to their brilliant colors of Fall, Samaritans begins another year of partnership with Boston College's PULSE and 4Boston programs.
The mission of the PULSE Program is to educate students about social injustice by putting them into direct contact with marginalized populations and social change agencies and then encouraging discussion on classic and contemporary works of philosophy and theology. PULSE students who work at Samaritans commit to 8 hours of service each week as well as one overnight per month. Three pillars guide the work of 4Boston: community, spirituality and social justice.
Each program creates a sense of community within the groups of volunteers, both in service and reflection.
Samaritans looks forward to another successful year working with the team from Boston College.
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| Education and Outreach |
College is a stressful time. There is often immense pressure on students to excel in classes, find their passion, and get involved with a multitude of initiatives, all while balancing a social life and often times, dealing with being on their own for the first time. These pressures, along with other life events can become overwhelming and at times, feel like just too much.
Fortunately, many schools that we partner with work hard to provide resources and help to their students who may be struggling. Brandeis University in Waltham is one of those schools. This month we provided suicide prevention workshops to a number of peer support groups on campus including,
the Student Sexuality Information Service (SSIS), Students Talking about Relationships (STAR) Peer Counselors, and the Rape Crisis Center. In each workshop we trained highly motivated students who are eager to help their fellow students in need. By teaching them skills and recommending how to help someone who may be suicidal, they have become more comfortable with the topic and better able to successfully help a fellow student in crisis. We value the work we do with local colleges and universities and look forward to working with more as the school year continues!
Suicide prevention training is an essential community need. If your school, company, or community organization is interested in arranging a training, you can find more information
here, or contact
Lauren.
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Welcome our newest Board Member: Matt McKelvey
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Matt grew up in Norwell, MA and was introduced to Samaritans by high school friend and fellow board member, Kacy Maitland. Kacy and Matt graduated in the same class from Thayer Academy in Braintree. Matt lives and works in the South End as a Technical Account Manager for Blueport Commerce, managing the two largest furniture retailer platforms in Canada. When not in the office, you can find Matt walking through the neighborhoods with his 1.5 year old boxer/stafford terrier pup, Ellie. Giving back to the community has always been an important part of Matt's life. He previously participated in the Volunteer Leadership Committee for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and on the council for Perez Art Museum Miami.
"I am excited and grateful for the opportunity to advocate and raise awareness about the critical services Samaritans provides for our community. I look forward to working with Samaritans staff and other board and council members to further the impact and reinforce the mission of the organization." |
Upcoming Events
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April 2018
- Come and support Samaritans' runners at the 2018 Boston Marathon on Monday, April 16th,2018.
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Opportunities at Samaritans!
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Interested in preventing suicide as a Samaritans' staff member, volunteer or intern? We are currently accepting applications for:
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