The Out of the Darkness Community and Overnight walks benefit the

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is a voluntary health organization based in New York City, with a public policy office based in Washington, D.C. The organization's stated mission is to "save lives and bring hope to those a ...

(AFSP) by raising awareness on

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...

and depression, raising money for research and education to prevent suicide from taking place, and providing assistance and a safe outlet for survivors of suicide. There are more than 30,000 suicide deaths in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

each year. Ninety percent of those who die by suicide could have benefited from mental assistance. Someone in the U.S. dies by suicide every 16 minutes. Over $850K has been raised to date for the cause of suicide prevention and education by the AFSP through the Out of the Darkness program. The Community Walks are typically 5k (3.10 miles). In addition to the Community Walks, there is also an Overnight Walk, usually in only two or three host cities each year. In 2008, the walks were held in Seattle and New York, starting at 8pm and beginning to close at 5am. The Overnight, as it is called, is 20 miles. There were 105 communities around the United States hosting Community Walks in 2007. List of 2007 Community Walks:

In popular culture

US drama series Sorry for Your Loss produced by

Facebook Watch Facebook Watch is a video on demand service operated by American company Meta Platforms (previously named Facebook, Inc.). The company announced the service in August 2017 and was available to all U.S. users that month. Facebook Watch's original ...

and focussing on experiences of grief following the death from a possible suicide, centres an entire episode, "Norway" S2E5, on the AFSP Out of Darkness Walk as the central element of the episode.

References

{{reflist Suicide prevention