Send Silence Packing®
For more than a decade, the Send Silence Packing® exhibit has traveled the country to end the silence that surrounds mental illness and suicide.
Since its inaugural display on the National Mall in Washington, DC in 2008, Send Silence Packing has reached more than one million visitors with messages of hope and help.
Contact us to find out how to bring this powerful exhibit to your campus or community.
Contact us today to learn how to bring this profoundly impactful exhibit to your campus or community! We begin planning each tour 6-8 months in advance, so reach out early for updates as to when we may be in your area.
Host a DisplayEach year, Send Silence Packing visits 35-50 schools and communities. The all-day exhibit inspires action for suicide prevention, connects viewers to mental health resources, and jump starts action. Send Silence Packing catalyzes conversations in a way that contributes to a community’s overall positive climate for mental health.
Program evaluation data reveal that individuals leave Send Silence Packing wanting to learn more about mental health. Ninety-five percent of survey respondents rate the exhibit as powerful and 97 percent report it educational.
Our evaluations also show that the majority of visitors tell three or more people about what they have learned, and many reach out to a friend in need or seek help for themselves as a result of seeing the exhibit.
Send Silence Packing encourages people to seek out helpful resources for themselves, friends, or loved ones.
Active Minds staff and volunteers are on hand at each stop, and are equipped to discuss the importance of knowing the signs of suicide, intervening when a friend is in distress, and getting help for themselves when needed. Trained professionals are also onsite at every display. All signs and materials encourage help seeking, many referrals are made, and thousands of mental health resources are distributed.
Send Silence Packing includes personal stories from individuals who have lost a loved one to suicide. The stories are a powerful way to raise awareness. The donation of stories and backpacks also become a meaningful outlet for the grief of survivors.
All stories on display are reviewed and revised in accordance with evidence-based public health practices. We remove discussion of means, the nature of the death, and any content that glorifies negative or inappropriate coping behavior.
If your community has experienced a recent suicide, our staff may recommend certain action steps prior to hosting Send Silence Packing, including involving student perspectives in your decision-making. For questions about whether Send Silence Packing is the right fit for your community, contact us and we’ll be in touch. Our team is available to help you make a decision that will best support your goals. Additionally, for campuses, Active Minds offers a postvention guide that guides campus communities through the difficult task of leading a campus-wide response following a suicide
Send Silence Packing was first unveiled in 2008 on the National Mall in Washington, DC, with a keynote speech by former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy.
Send Silence Packing® is a trademark of Active Minds.
Active Minds is the nation's premier nonprofit organization promoting mental health for young adults.
