Join Samaritans for the New York City Half Marathon

“Be A Friend” Team!

Sunday, March 16, 2014.

Welcome to Samaritans first charity partnership with the New York Road Runners (NYRR) club.

Like all NYRR charity runners, those who join our “Be A Friend” charity team and run under Samaritans banner must commit to a minimum goal of raising $1,000.  “Be A Friend” team members get a team tee-shirt, participate in group dinner(s) and meeting(s) and the team can plan some training runs together organized by Samaritan board member and volunteer Norberto Velasquez.

How do I join Samaritans “BE A FRIEND” team?

• First Step: Simply contact Fiodhna O’Grady at fogrady@samaritansnyc.org or call (212) 677-3009 to let Samaritans know you are applying for the team.

• Second Step: Sign a commitment agreement with Samaritans to raise $1,000 for the organization.  The agreement is sent to you after the results of the NYRR lottery are announced (December 12).  Once we know how many people have qualified for spots through the lottery, we will then determine who to allot Samaritans guaranteed entries.   

• Third Step: “Be A Friend” team members (those with guaranteed and lottery entries) will all utilize Samaritans “peer to peer online fundraising tool.”  This tool allows you to generate your own personal online fundraising page where you can include your story and message and upload a photograph of yourself.  Your page also allows you to link to most social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and send potential donor emails to family, friends and colleagues.  Samaritans staff will be happy to assist you in customizing your page.

Proceeds from the funds raised through the “Be A Friend” NYC Half Marathon team will go towards Samaritans crisis response, suicide prevention, public education and suicide survivor programs and services.

Click here to join!

Samaritans of New York City’s 24-hour Suicide Prevention Center www.samaritansnyc.org

The Samaritans of New York operates the only community-based organization in the NYC-Metropolitan area solely devoted to preventing suicide and helping people in crisis.

The non-religious Samaritans–part of the world’s oldest and largest suicide prevention network (with over 400 centers in 42 countries, from Argentina, Bosnia, France and Great Britain to Hong Kong, India, and Zimbabwe)–has been the major provider of suicide prevention, education and awareness services in NYC and environs for almost 30 years with programs that include:

• New York City's only confidential 24-hour suicide prevention hotline
• suicide prevention public education program
• support groups for those who have lost a loved one to suicide
• advocacy and community outreach for the at-risk and underserved.

Staffed by over 100 volunteers, Samaritans of New York’s free, confidential, 24-hour emotional support and crisis response hotline service provides those in crisis (as well as the people who care for them) with a 24-hour safety net that can be used to fill-in service gaps, bridge between appointments and act as a source of ongoing emotional maintenance for those with chronic emotional issues.

Samaritans of New York has been the primary source of suicide prevention training in NYC and environs for over 25 years providing workshops, seminars, technical support and major conferences to over 35,000 social workers, caseworkers, guidance counselors, therapists, nurses, psychologists and other caregivers and mental health professionals in NYC public schools, community non-profits, government agencies and more.

Samaritans Suicide Survivor Support Group Program provides those who have lost someone they love or are close to (“suicide survivors”) with a supportive and caring environment designed to help them cope with their loss in the company of others who have had the same experience.  These meetings are run as peer support groups, where the people participating have the opportunity to focus on their thoughts, feelings, challenges and difficulties coping with their loss, without any undo pressures or expectations or other people judging them or giving them advice.