Tuesday, 27 September 2011 11:41
A small group of dedicated students in Nebraska share a common goal with the Ganley Foundation.
It all started with a Facebook message from one of the millions of viewers who watched our Outside the Lines appearance on ESPN this past January. Jason Luong, a college student and president of Scatter Kindness Clothing (SKC), reached out to executive director Grace Carricarte with his story:
“Over the last 4 months I have come to find out that suicide and depression is something to take very seriously. On September 19th one of my best friends took his own life at the age of 21. Of course we were all devastated and didn't know what to do or what to think. Then on December 12th my best friend and cousin chose to take his own life, he was also 21. This was devastating, not only because it was the second close friend I had lost in less than 3 months, but also because we were so close. So I decided to stand up and take initiative. I realized that depression and suicide are major problems in the world that need to be dealt with."
Scatter Kindness Clothing was born out of the ashes of tragedy to help spread awareness of the perils of depression and suicide. We sell shirts with the main idea of "Scattering Kindness," to bring joy to people's lives and those around them. For every shirt we sell, we donate $1 to a foundation that supports depression and suicide awareness. After about of month of research, and a little luck of seeing your feature on ESPN's "Outside the Lines." We would like to make our donations to the Ganley Foundation… we would also like to form a partnership to help strengthen the Crusade for Awareness.”
A partnership had begun and on September 7th the Crusade for Awareness reached Doane College in Crete, Nebraska. This Suicide Prevention Week included SKC T-shirt and bracelet sales along with banners displayed throughout the campus which included facts about suicide and where to get help. The culminating event was a student assembly held featuring speakers Grace and Jason. Grace was able to discuss the pervasiveness of mental illness, importance of mental health, statistics about depression and suicide, warning signs, and how to obtain help. Jason brought his compelling personal story sharing thoughtful memories and reflections about losing his close friends Adam and Khoa. Below is Doane College Media’s news story about this special evening.
SKC's purpose is to raise awareness that people should always be conscious of their actions and how they may impact others. The clothing serves as a reminder that "kindness changes everything." For more information about Scatter Kindness Clothing, please visit the official SKC Facebook page or check out their YouTube channel.
Special thanks go to Doane College, SKC Team: Joe, Allison, Tyler and Jason, Amy Schmitt, Doane College Media, and the Student Activities Council!
SOCIAL MEDIA
DOWNLOADS
Click to download one of
our brochures on depression.
our brochures on depression.
