New Jersey brings home Chapter of the Year – Large Market for the second year in a row from the annual AFSP Chapter Leadership Conference

New Jersey, April 1, 2023 – We are proud to share the accomplishments of our hard work throughout 2022, with an expanse in leadership, educational programming, volunteer participation, Project 2025, and fundraising. We are excited by the ways our chapter has continued to take form, working to support those affected by suicide.

At the annual Chapter Leadership Conference in January 2023, the AFSP New Jersey Chapter was recognized for several achievements during 2022. We were awarded:

• Chapter of the Year – Large Market
• 2022 Century Club Walk: Atlantic-Cape
• 2022 Century Club Walk: Bergen County
• 2022 Century Club Walk: Essex County
• 2022 Century Club Walk: Jersey Shore
• 2022 Century Club Walk: Mercer County

A few highlights from 2022

Community Walks
With 13 OOTD Community Walks taking place this past fall, New Jersey saw 6,534 walkers and raised more than $1.1 million!

2022 Community Walk Highlights:

• Our Chapter had 5 community walks that raised $100K or more
• Our overall top fundraising team raised over $86,000
• Over $104,000 was raised through sponsorship support of the 13 walks – including TWO $10,000 sponsors which was a first for our chapter (Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and Amazon)

Campus Walks
In 2022 our chapter returned to hosting individual campus walks. 3 schools participated and their details are below:

• Rowan University: $20,249
• TCNJ: $9,355
• Monmouth University: $3,667

A total of $33,271 was raised and collectively over 700 walkers participated.

Spring Events

Marathon in a Month was a virtual event our chapter created during the pandemic. This now annual event raised $4,305 with 21 participants.

Ride to Fight Suicide is an annual coordinated motorcycle ride to raise awareness and funds. The 2022 event raised $3,550.

Education and Training Program Activity

The NJ Chapter hosted 92 programs throughout 2022. We were able to engage new schools, communities, and companies with our growing volunteer trainers.

The following is a list of presentations and trainings held in 2022 which reached over 4,600 people

• LGBTQ: Stronger Communities
• ABFT
• Talk Saves Lives (Standard, LGTBQ, Seniors, Firearms, Workplace)
• It's Real: College Students & Mental Health
• It’s Real: Teens & Mental Health
• More Than Sad
• AFSP 101
• Suicide Bereavement Clinical Training
• QPR Training

Healing Conversations/Loss and Healing

The Healing Conversations program has 23 volunteers led by NJ Coordinator & National Loss and Healing Council member, Lori Jarck. The program reaches out to agencies throughout the state including funeral homes and first responders. For Healing Conversations, we have addressed 22 requests YTD.

Independent of requests, our volunteers reached out and provided resources and support to an additional 10 families impacted by suicide loss that were brought to our attention. We also worked with Bergen County to provide AFSP materials for their Comfort Bag initiative for survivors of suicide loss.

The AFSP NJ Chapter supported 7 ISOSLD sites across the state with over 155 participants. One of these events was a first-time location in Madison, NJ with over 50 participants.

Project 2025

NJ Chapter Chair Wendy Sefcik worked to develop a relationship with the NJ Chapter of The American Academy of Pediatrics (NJAAP). In result of this year, This relationship resulted in NJAAP hosting a Safeside Training for 53 healthcare members were trained.

Over the past year, the New Jersey Chapter underwent a transformation related to Project 2025 initiatives under the leadership of Board Member Bryan Welsh. Based on the four Project 2025 pillars and the needs of the state, our Chapter dedicated our Project 2025 efforts on entire health systems rather than specific specialties. As a Chapter, we were able to achieve the following key milestones throughout the year:

• Development and implementation of the NJ Chapter Project 2025 Healthcare Outreach Strategy Guide (digital and print): This guide provides a toolkit to all staff, board members, and volunteers of the chapter as it relates to outreach and engagement strategies including
  communication templates, flyers, talking points, statistics, and additional information related to AFSP programs and chapter efforts.
• Development and implementation of the NJ Chapter Healthcare Outreach Tracker and Executive Dashboards: This is a near real-time way for the chapter to track all outreach efforts including organization name, contact information, follow-up timelines, financial commitments, notes, and current step in the process per organization. The dashboard additionally provides a visual representation of all efforts for use by the board and staff.
• Project 2025 Healthcare Outreach Strategy – Board Presentation: Board presentation for the official NJ Chapter rollout of the Project 2025 Healthcare initiatives.
• SafeSide Primary CARE implementation with the New Jersey Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
  • 53 pediatrician subscriptions
  • 63% completion rate as of Q1 FY 2023
• SafeSide Primary CARE subscription for Hunterdon Health in Flemington, NJ
  • 40+ clinicians were estimated to be in attendance during three Grand Rounds sessions in January 2023

Sponsorship Support by the AFSP NJ Chapter

The NJ Chapter continues to make a strong commitment to ensure that we are maximizing available resources, materials, and funding for various partner agencies around the state in an effort to highlight resources and raise awareness for suicide prevention and resources and the work of AFSP.  Monetary sponsorships were provided to over 7 different organizations, totaling more than $19,000, that hosted events related to suicide prevention and mental health.

Your Support Made This Possible

Thank you to our many wonderful supporters, walkers, donors, and volunteers! From Out of the Darkness Walk participants and team captains to our Advocacy Field Advocates, Healing Conversations volunteers, Education presenters, and our community partners and corporate sponsors – we thank you for your shared commitment to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide throughout New Jersey. It is because of you that we are able to deliver our educational, advocacy, and loss survivor support resources and programming to the community at no cost. And thank you to the hundreds of volunteers who have turned your generous gifts into action across our state!

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide. AFSP creates a culture that’s smart about mental health through education and community programs, develops suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, and with a public policy office in Washington, D.C., AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states with programs and events nationwide. Learn more about AFSP in its latest Annual Report, and join the conversation on suicide prevention by following AFSP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.