The Scudder Intervention Services Foundation, Inc. (SISFI), the Suicide Institute, The Suicide Council of NYC and the Bronx Suicide Network host our How Are You? Bronx Emotional Wellness Tour October 20 – November 09, 2019 to engage with people in communities across the borough to bring more awareness, services, programs, healing, resources and support for those struggling, suffering and hurting with life challenges, emotional pain/distress, abuse, bullying, addiction, depression, domestic violence, grief, loneliness, loss, PTSD, suicide ideations, trauma, and supporting families who lost loved ones to suicide and violence.
We host our tours to be on the ground in communities of need meeting people face-to-face, suffering in silence and adversely affected by high rates of these conditions and lack of support resources to address them. We welcome interested persons, organizations, schools, churches, community groups, businesses and community leaders to join us by collaborating by hosting an event at their venue(s) during the tour. You provide the space and we facilitate the workshops, trainings and presentations.
Our tours connect us with thousands of people locally and virtually who were/are struggling, hurting and suffering with life challenges and loses and need for services and support. Our promotions on social media and e-mail marketing reached many people who heard of our work, and attended various tour events (workshops, luncheons, support groups) and radio shows. Of the lives that opened up to us for help and support, we were able to prevent many planned suicides in the city and across the US. Suicidality is a growing challenge on many levels for people who are finding themselves in crisis and distress from many life challenges such as rising costs of basic needs and living, broken relationships and marriages, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, parent alienation, loss of social status, loss of a loved one (child, spouse, family member, friend), homelessness and unexpected health changes/complications. So many people have lost hope on life, have given up because they have tried to seek help and have not been able to get it or while in the process of seeking help have been abused, disrespected, dehumanized, demoralized, retraumatized, revictimized and had their dignity compromised.
Life, as we know it, has and is changing for many people, young and old,. The global economy and world issues reach beyond borders and into the hearts and minds of people who do not have the skills or tools to deal with the changes. The broken system allows them to fall through cracks and into an abyss of hurt, pain, suffering and struggles.
We take what we learn from meeting and talking with people and survivors in crisis and distress, engaging with communities, and speaking about mental health and emotional wellness at events to plan the contents and structure of our tours. We focus on the real challenges of life, gaps in the mental health system and how people fall through the cracks without resources. The objective is to break the stigmas and myths about mental health, mental illness, depression, substance abuse and suicide for people to normalize them and not be afraid to reach out beyond the fear of what people may say about them, feel about them and not suffer in silence.
There are many people hurting, struggling and crying out for help in facing the challenges of living and if we can teach them ways in which to overcome the struggles, then we can help them minimize the hurt and pain. Many have never reported their attempts or struggles dealing with their losses because of shame, societal fears, judgment, guilt and regrets. Many sought help and was not able to get it. Their cries resonated with us and we wanted to make sure our follow up efforts would be that of healing and comfort for them.
We are continuing the work and efforts of bringing more education, awareness, resources and training on the ground in communities so we can be more proactive and equipped in responding to those with emotional distress and suffering to prevent suicide.
We are scheduling various happenings for the tour such as workshops, luncheons and TV and radio shows on SISFI TV and radio to bring people, mental health professionals, energy therapists, health professionals, survivors and healers together to address this very serious and important topic affecting many people in our communities. While the tour is local to Bronx, the TV and radio shows will reach across the country to those who have lost loved ones, struggled with depression and suicide ideations, and practitioners who specializes in the support, treatment, recovery and healing of mental health, life coaching, emotional wellness and human suffering.
A GoFundMe campaign has been created to raise funds to cover the expenses of our tours. Please help us to do so by donating and sharing the campaign.
Please like and support the tour page on Facebook and follow the tour on Twitter.
Support our work at SISFI by liking our Facebook page and following us on Twitter and Instagram. Use hashtags #SISFIEWT, #SISFISP, #BronxEWT to join the dialog on social media.
Please share and help to promote this in the community and to your networks. We invite anyone interested in participating in the tour to join us so we can collectively make the effort more impactful and successful. For any questions please contact us at SISFI via 917-651-1889 or ask@sisfi.org.
Thank you very much and have a great day one breath at a time. Enjoy breathing. We appreciate your patronage and look forward to serving you with more quality human services and emotional wellness resources. One love.
Brett A. Scudder
President/Chairman
Suicide Attempt Survivor
