Crisis Listening Line Receives Support
Julie Keenan, President of the Board of Trustees of the Summit Foundation, presented a $15,000 grant to Caring Contact on June 11, 2020. For nearly 50 years, the Summit Foundation has served the Summit community by growing and granting philanthropic resources to address local needs. During the last 10 years they have invested $8.6 million through grants, scholarships, and donor-advised distributions.
“The Summit Foundation’s generosity will ensure that Caring Contact has more trained listeners available to answer hotline calls,” said Janet Sarkos, Caring Contact’s Executive Director. “We will be able to quickly and effectively prioritize the needs of our most fragile callers, increasing the number of people who benefit from contacting us, and reducing the incidence of suicide in Summit and the surrounding area. We are the first line of defense against suicide,” said Sarkos. “Caring Contact is truly thankful for this contribution from the Summit Foundation.”
Caring Contact’s goal for 2020 is to continue building hotline capacity to more effectively meet the increased number of crisis calls coming in on the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. This is particularly important as the FCC is moving to implement a three-digit code (988) for access to the Lifeline in 2021. The entire Lifeline network of 170+ centers is focused on building capacity to meet the anticipated increase in calls as a result of this change. The Summit Foundation’s grant provides crucial support for this effort in North-Central New Jersey.
Caring Contact is an award-winning, volunteer-staffed caring and crisis hotline providing active listening support and best-in-class education to the Central and Northern New Jersey community. They attentively and compassionately serve those in emotional distress and educate communities about the power of personal connection. Caring Contact is affiliated with CONTACT USA, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and the American Association of Suicidology. If you, or someone you know, is in crisis and need someone to listen, call us at 800.273.8255. To learn more, visit www.caringcontact.org.
