Suicide Prevention Pen Program for
High Schools

During the week of September 4-10, 2005, the Suicide and Crisis Foundation of Santa Clara County began a new annual educational distribution program for retractable ballpoint writing pens.

The goal of the pens is to spread awareness of the Santa Clara County Suicide and Crisis Hotline, a 24 hour telephone service, staffed by trained volunteers, offering emotional support to callers who are feeling suicidal or who are in crisis.

Our initial round of pens will go to 10,000 11th grade students in Santa Clara County.
The pens offer the compelling message: “Suicide doesn’t have to happen. Suicide and Crisis Hotline. (408) 279-3312.”

Subsequent phases will continue the distribution to other schools. The ultimate objective of the pen program each year will to put a pen in the hands of every high school junior in the County.


The kick-off of our 2005 pen distribution program coincided with National Suicide Prevention Week, an annual public health campaign with the goal to highlight the significant mental health problem of suicide and to work collaboratively as one global society to promote awareness and advocacy about suicide prevention.

The pen distribution program represents the Foundation’s first major effort to reach thousands of adolescents in the county at one time, and we hope to continue with more visible outreach efforts for all age groups in the coming years.

Please contact Sandra Long at 408-393-6417 if you have any questions or need more information about our pen distribution program.

Donations

Our goal is to raise $10,000 by the end of 2005 to help offset the production costs for the pens and we sincerely appreciate any donation you are able to provide. Suggested donations are $10, $25, $50, $100, $250, or $500. To put it into perspective, a $100 donation will supply pens to the entire junior level student body at an average sized high school.

All donations are tax deductible. Your contribution will be recognized in our distribution to local schools.

Checks made payable to the Suicide and Crisis Foundation can be sent to:

Suicide & Crisis Foundation,
PO Box 110153 Campbell, CA 95008.

You will be mailed a receipt for your donation.
 

The Suicide and Crisis Foundation of Santa Clara County is an education
and resource organization. We do not provide direct services or counseling.
IF YOU ARE IN CRISIS AND NEED IMMEDIATE HELP, please call 1-800-SUICIDE. (1-800-784-2433)