SUICIDE AWARENESS PREVENTION:
ADVOCACY & ACTION
The need for suicide awareness and prevention does not end with the last calendar day of September. The fact is, there is a great need for awareness, advocacy, and action to prevent suicide every day.

  • Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States.
  • In 2019, an estimated 1.38 million Americans attempted suicide and 47,511 Americans died by suicide.
  • The rate of suicide is highest in middle-aged white men.
  • Suicide is the leading cause of death among Asian Americans aged 20-24 years, responsible for about 33% of deaths in that age bracket.
  • LGB youth who come from highly rejecting families are 8.4 times as likely to have attempted suicide as LGB peers who reported no or low levels of family rejection.
  • US Military recorded 156 deaths by suicide among all services, including active-duty, National Guard and Reserve troops, from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2020. That is a 25% increase from the 125 such deaths that occurred in the last quarter of calendar year 2019.

These are only a few of the many alarming statistics surrounding suicide in America. Therefore, it is vital that we collectively continue to work toward keeping awareness and prevention of suicide at the forefront and not relegate it to just one month out of the year. We must work to break the stigma around mental health and promote resources that enable people to get the help and care that they deserve.

You may ask, “How do I go beyond awareness and into advocacy and action?” Visit our Suicide Prevention web page for valuable information including our Suicide Prevention & Awareness tool kit. Additionally, we recommend the following organizations which also provide valuable information and resources:


Cobb Collaborative members who undergo and complete LivingWorks Start virtual training are eligible for reimbursement. Once you have completed this training, simply email your certificate to Irene Barton and your program cost will be reimbursed.

We must remember that “Statistics are people with the tears wiped away.” The need for suicide awareness and prevention is great and the time for advocacy and action is NOW!
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Marietta YELLS (Youth Empowerment through Learning, Leading, and Serving, Inc.) is searching for new team members committed to impacting the lives of our youth and families on Franklin Gateway. YELLS offers innovative, place-based after-school programming that empowers youth to rise as servant-leaders within their community. We're looking for dynamic, talented, and committed candidates who are eager to make a difference! Please visit www.yellsinc.org/jobs for all openings. Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume to Laura Keefe.
Resources
GCN and the WSB-TV Family 2 Family project are excited to present our annual Nonprofit Media Summit. WSB’s on-air and behind-the-scenes team will focus on how to successfully tell your nonprofit’s stories of impact through the media in light of the specific challenges and changes presented by the Covid pandemic. 

Join us for this online event to hear directly from the talent at WSB-TV. We’ll provide ample time for your questions while taking a look “through the pandemic lens” at:

  • Getting the attention of assignment editors
  • Booking talent for a virtual, hybrid, or in-person event
  • Composing an engaging pitch
  • Equipping talent and speakers for your virtual program
  • Managing social media and how to avoid getting “roasted”

October 8, 2021, 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm EDT
Click here for more information/registration. .

Please click here for our special edition newsletter that contains resources for Nonprofits.
The Cobb Diaper Day Committee announces that it is holding its 13th Annual Diaper Day virtually, due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The annual community-wide effort to collect diapers for low-income families is occurring throughout September and October. All diaper donations will be given to the Cobb Douglas Public Health Teen Pregnancy Program, Communities in Schools of Georgia in Marietta/Cobb County, LiveSafe Resources, MUST Ministries, Ser Familia, Simple Needs GA, South Cobb United, Sweetwater Mission and The Center for Family Resources for distribution to help ease some of the burdens of the thousands of families in critical need.

Organizations, companies and individuals are encouraged to donate to the Barbara Hickey Children’s Fund (managed by Cobb Community Foundation), purchase diapers through their Amazon Wish-list and hold diaper drives, especially during Diaper Need Awareness Week, being held September 27 – October 3, 2021. Also, community-wide collection dates are October 13 from 8 am to 4 pm and October 27 from 4 pm to 6 pm at Cobb EMC Solar Flower Garden in Marietta, GA.

Donations are being accepted online at www.cobbdiaperday.com
We are constantly adding new events to our calendar! Be sure to check out our website for a full list of upcoming programming.
October 12, 2021
9:00AM-12:30PM

This course will have participants explore actions they can take to promote resilience to support the physical and psychological safety of children and families who have experienced child trauma and child traumatic stress. Participants will be provided with strategies for addressing secondary traumatic stress that can impact helping professionals. 

This course will provide participants with foundational knowledge about how adversity and trauma can impact brain development. Participants will also be introduced to brain architecture and early brain development in children.
October 12, 2021
1:30PM-5:00PM
Mon, Oct 18, 2021 11:00 AM EST
Community Resilience Model (CRM)
Tue, Oct 19, 2021 8:00 AM EST
Cobb Marietta Early Learning Initiative
Wed, Oct 20, 2021 11:30 AM EST
Children & Families Strategy Team
Tue, Oct 26, 2021 9:00 AM EST
Coffee with the Collaborative - 4th Quarter
United Way of Greater Atlanta - Northwest Region, Marietta
Your feedback is vital to the success of Cobb Collaborative and we would appreciate it greatly if you would take a few minutes to complete this year's Collaborative Vitality Survey from Georgia Family Connection Partnership. This annual survey allows us to acknowledge and celebrate achievements while identifying areas for improvement and growth. Please click here to complete the survey before November 1, 2021. This is completely voluntary and should take about 10 minutes to complete. Thank you in advance for your input.
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Serving the Cobb County Community for 22 Years