In the spirit of giving, I wanted to share a charity, that is close to my heart. I hope that by bringing awareness to suicide/depression, the stigma attached to it, will one day disappear. In 2019, my cousin-in-law took his own life (at the age of 27). Unfortunately, we were unaware of his mental health. He was a very kind soul, had a beautiful voice and played several instruments.
In the midst of despair, a charity was born;The Waffles Foundation. If you or someone you know has an instrument they no longer use, you can donate it, for this wonderful cause. This week, a young man from Brooklyn named Qyaji Armory – Narcisse, was sponsored through the famous Nubian Conservatory of Music in Brooklyn.
The Waffles Foundation:
It is 501(c)(3) foundation which centers on mental health awareness and suicide prevention. One of our prevention tools is the collection and distribution of musical instruments for children and or anyone who can’t afford to buy one. We gladly accept donations of musical instruments of any kind and we also gladly welcome requests from anyone who would like us to provide them with one. Please email your donations and requests to wafflesfoundation@gmail.com or see our website at www.wafflesfoundation.org.
If you or someone you know is in a dark place, please know that things do get better. By reaching out to friends, family and professionals, you can build a support system to help you get through the dark times.
I will share a personal story about myself. When I was 13 years old, I felt total despair and climbed half way out my 4th floor window. At that moment, I looked at my leg on the other side of the window, thought that was the only way out, before changing my mind. And I’m glad I did, because, I sought professional help, after moving out. Things did get better many years later. I share this in the hopes that, speaking about this will help others share their stories as well. #endthestigma
You can also follow my uncle-in-law’s (Founder of The Waffles Foundation) YouTube channel, where you can view videos of my cousin-in-law as well.
Additional facts about suicide in the US
- The age-adjusted suicide rate in 2019 was 13.93 per 100,000 individuals.
- The rate of suicide is highest in middle-aged white men.
- In 2019, men died by suicide 3.63x as often as women.
- On average, there are 130 suicides per day.
- White males accounted for 69.38% of suicide deaths in 2019.
- In 2019, firearms accounted for 50.39% of all suicide deaths.
- In 2019, 47,511 Americans died by suicide
Become an advocate for suicide prevention
https://afsp.org/become-a-suicide-prevention-public-policy-advocate
