Samaritans 10-Year Anniversary Soiree
“Everybody needs a helping hand at some point in their life, when they do, Samaritans is there!”---Samaritans
Believe it or not, Samaritans, a Suicide Prevention Center in New York City has been around for 67 years. Beginning in 1952, Samaritans created the first suicide prevention hotline in the world. And today, it has developed into a network of 400 affiliated centers in 42 countries. Over these years, Samaritans has answered over 1.3 million calls and provided 24/7 emotional support to people dealing with loss, trauma, illness, or simply need someone to talk to.
Besides the efforts of 40,000 health providers, Samaritans wouldn’t have saved so much lives from desperation without the community support, which was given a massive thank you during the Spring Soiree Anniversary.
2019 is a special year for Samaritans, with the group celebrating its 10th annual Soiree. On Tuesday, April 9, the party was held at the breathtaking 230 Fifth Empire Penthouse, a ballroom facing the majestic Empire State Building and the city’s beautiful night scene. The Soiree was kicked off with a fabulous silent auction featuring many items like the Miami Getaway journey. Winners will escape the New York cold a spend a carefree weekend at the stunning Mondrian South Beach, enjoying the local food and beverages that took them further to Mexico. I was fascinated by this idea, as it substantiated the concept of how we can relive our stress by calling the Samaritan Hotline, where warmth, love, and understandings resides.
Later in the night, Samaritans’s Board President Wes Puryear and Executive Director Alan Ross took the stage and delivered a Thank You Speech to the crowd. Some of them were attending for the first time, and some have been truth-hearted followers for the past 10 years. Audience with a great variety of identities in terms of age, race, gender, culture, occupation, and more came to celebrate the night together because the prevention of suicide, as a public health issue tied to mental health, proved the universality of people around the world. Everybody, under certain circumstances, can feel distressed and suicidal. Everyone, at certain moments in their life, needs a helping hand.
When you are in the dark, it is better to stand with people and hold their hands than stay alone. As Alan Ross said during his speech, the Soiree was a concept of Samaritan’s core value. Guests were regaled with comfort food and beverages of two open bars. There were live performances by the incredible magician John Born, who could restore the Rubik’s Cube and read your minds in less than one second. Lively music by the genre bending, Darius Christian and DJ David “Prints” Aguilar ran through the night.
The venue was lightened by twilit light bulbs in the room and city lights through the windows. As I was relishing the beef burger and sipping from the champaign, I realized that this is how life is. We can be fragile in the darkness, but we can always talk to people and treat ourselves with drinks, snack, music, and magic. Oh and maybe a getaway to Miami.
20th Anniversary of The Hotline
On February 21, 1996, The National Domestic Violence Hotline took its first call and has continued on for 20 years helping people affected by domestic violence. Since that first call, The Hotline has answered over 3.5 million calls, chats, and text messages from victims of abuse. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is a non-profit organization as a part of the Violence Against Women Act created to provide resources for those in need of help. From its early days, it has since evolved into a nationwide network that is constantly advancing its technological services to reach out to as many people as possible. The goal of The National Domestic Violence Hotline is to end domestic violence, but to do this, domestic violence must be prevented and people need to be taught the signs of an unhealthy relationship and what a healthy relationship should be.
Celebrating in The Glasshouses in Chelsea, The Hotline sought to honor 20 years of empowering survivors of domestic abuse. To complement attendees, music was played by DJ Wong with an unlimited flow of cocktails and delicious hors d'oeuvres. Much of The Hotline’s funding comes from an annual grant from the U.S. Health and Human Service’s Family Violence Prevention Services Office. However, to further accomplish The Hotline’s vision of ending domestic violence, a silent auction was held at this event that included tickets to the Super Bowl in 2017, the US Open in 2017, Kendra Scott jewelry, and much more. As spectacular as the prizes, food, and cocktails were, what really made the event a success was the attendees’ willingness to support The Hotline’s cause: to join together to celebrate its success as well as understand the impact of domestic violence.
Domestic violence is about power and control. The abuser makes their partner feel like it is their fault. Abuse is not only physical, but can be emotional and financial as well. People are not always aware if their relationship is an abusive one and The Hotline provides information on how to make that distinction. The Hotline is not only for domestic violence, but also for questions or concerns surrounding your relationship or the relationship of someone you know. On top of providing resources to determine if a relationship is abusive or not, The Hotline provides information on what makes a healthy one. A relationship may not always be abusive, but it does not always mean it is a healthy relationship, so it is highly encouraged to reach out to The Hotline and seek help.
The Hotline staff is highly trained, having received over 60 hours of training while covering over 170 different languages and 4,200 service providers. Over 20,000 phone calls are made to reach domestic violence hotlines. Not all calls to The Hotline make it through because of limited resources. When asked what victims of domestic abuse should do if they are unable to get their call through to The Hotline, Chief Communications Officer Cameka Crawford would like them to know, “it’s not your fault, you deserve respect, you’re not alone, and we’re here for you 24/7.”
Even though The Hotline offices are located in Texas, 30% of The Hotline calls come from New York and with InvitedNYC focusing on the NYC population, we are glad to help spread awareness. If you or someone you know are a victim of domestic violence, do not hesitate to reach out to The Hotline because it is a completely free, and confidential service. Domestic violence can affect anyone; it is not gender neutral. 1 in 4 women experience domestic violence as well as 1 in 7 men. It is important to be patient with the ones experiencing it because they know what is best for their situation. Often times, people may not be ready to pick up the phone and reach out for professional help, but if someone reaches out to you, Cameka Crawford recommends “the first thing you can say to someone if that person reaches out to you for support first is ‘I believe you.’” As a closing note, be vigilant, be compassionate, and look out for one another in the fight to end domestic violence.
Photos courtesy of The Hotline