Acclaimed Suicide Prevention Display Returns This Spring
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 2022
Washington, D.C. – Active Minds, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization promoting mental health awareness and education for young adults, is excited to announce its launch of the spring 2022 Send Silence Packing® Tour.
For more than a decade, Send Silence Packing has traveled the country to end the silence that surrounds mental health and suicide. The display includes personal stories from individuals who have lost a loved one to suicide and is designed to raise awareness about the impact of suicide, connect individuals to mental health resources, and inspire action for suicide prevention.
This year’s tour, spanning from March 3 to May 2, 2022, will cover over 17 stops in 10 different states with more stops to come! Cities for the 2022 tour include, but are not limited to, Denmark, SC; Oxford, MS; Tempe, AZ; Boca Raton, FL; Albany, GA; San Diego, CA; Kennesaw, GA; Lawrence, KS; Los Angeles, CA; Iowa City, IA; Saratoga, CA; Santa Clara, CA; Reedley, CA; Porterville, CA; South Orange, NJ; Blacksburg, VA.
“So many students live with mental health conditions and suffer in silence. Send Silence Packing is directly impacting lives by connecting students to resources, emphasizing peer voices in schools and communities, and sparking engaging and meaningful conversations,” said Alison Malmon, founder and executive director of Active Minds. “The display is continuing to grow and I’m excited for more people to get involved and experience this life-changing event in person.”
Since its inaugural display on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. in 2008, Send Silence Packing has reached over a million visitors and counting with messages of hope and help. Evaluation data attests to the display’s impact – most visitors leave wanting to learn more about mental health and the majority tell three or more people about the display and may reach out to a friend in need or seek help for themselves as a result of experiencing it.
To address changing needs due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Active Minds launched a new companion display designed to complement the in-person program – Send Silence Packing: Behind the Backpacks. This virtual, immersive experience gives users an in-depth look at the impact of suicide through personal stories, stigma reduction techniques, and interactive components such as videos, photos, and audio. Visitors to Send Silence Packing will have a chance to learn more about Behind the Backpacks and easily share this program with friends, family, and their communities.
Send Silence Packing: Behind the Backpacks was made possible by a generous donation from the RSM US Foundation.
More information about Send Silence Packing, including specific 2022 tour stop locations, or information about Behind the Backpacks can be found at activeminds.org/sendsilencepacking.
About Active Minds: Active Minds is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization promoting mental health awareness and education for young adults. Active Minds has a presence at more than 1,000 campuses, schools, communities, and workplaces nationwide, and is powered by a robust Chapter Network, the nationally acclaimed Send Silence Packing® display, inspiring Active Minds Speakers, and our tailored Active Minds @Work initiative. The organization is dedicated to ending the silence and changing the culture around mental health for everyone. To learn more, visit www.activeminds.org.
Media contact: Amanda Horn, Active Minds
amandahorn@activeminds.org, 202-332-9595 X103
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