GOW(Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming)Pathway to Hope held their second annual Helping of Hope Breakfast at the Generation Center at 15 Center street on Tuesday morning.
The event was held during National Suicide Prevention Month and several speakers were featured including, Garra Lloyd Lester, Director of NYS Suicide Prevention Center, and Karl Shallowhorn, Education Program Coordinator at the Community Health Center of Buffalo.
Karl Shallowhorn
Lester spoke to the crowd of about 60 community members and representatives from different organizations from all three counties about the state of the state, while Shallowhorn shared his story of hope and recovery with the group.
“This gives us the opportunity to celebrate these folks who are left behind and it gives us the opportunity to do some outreach and to let people know what services are available to them in the three county region,” says Nola Goodrich-Kresse, Public Health Educator for the Orleans County Health Department and Chair of the Orleans County Suicide Prevention Coalition.
The event urged folks to “BeThe1 To-Ask-Be there-Connect” with others.
“They are not alone, we want them to seek help, there is no reason for anyone to not seek help,” says Goodrich-Kresse.
“For many people it fear or stigma, so we want to break that stigma.”
Anyone in need of 24/7Crisis Support can call 585-283-5200 of Text HOME to 741741
In Orleans County here is a link to the Suicide Prevention Coalition on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OrleansCountySuicidePreventionCoalition/
In Wyoming County here is a link to the Suicide Prevention Coalition’s website http://wycosuicideprevention.com/
In Genesee County http://stopsuicidegenesee.org/