Walks to raise awareness of suicide

In 2016, Helpline Center answered 1,538 suicide calls from South Dakotans. Each and every day, we provide hope, healing and critical support to those contemplating suicide or grieving the loss of someone to suicide. And each spring and summer, Helpline Center gathers suicide survivors and South Dakotans together during our four Step Forward to Prevent Suicide walks, raising awareness about suicide in our state.

The money raised from our walks stays local to each community. Each Step Forward includes a 1.5 mile walk, a 5K run and a remembrance ceremony. “The Step Forward Walks offer an amazing opportunity to bring people together to support each other and raise awareness that suicide continues to be a concern across our communities,” says Janet Kittams, president of the Helpline Center.

Helpline Center’s first Step Forward walk of 2017 will be on Saturday, April 29, on the campus of South Dakota State University in Brookings. To join us for the Brookings Step Forward walk, click here.

Our second walk of the season will be Saturday, June 17, at Falls Park in Sioux Falls. This walk has been held every summer for the past five years. To find out more about registration dates, click here.

We are excited to announce our first Step Forward walk in Yankton on Saturday, August 5, in partnership with Bridging Yankton: Pathways to Help, Hope and Healing. This inaugural walk will help to fund suicide and prevent support in Yankton and create a texting program for Yankton High School.  To find out more about registration dates for the Yankton walk, click here.

For more information about the Step Forward to Prevent Suicide walks, visit HelplineCenter.org or dial 211.