The Summit Foundation Donates to Caring Contact
Submitted by Michelle Habayeb
Julie Keenan, President of the Board of Trustees of the Summit Foundation, presented a $13,000 grant to Caring Contact on June 11, 2021. 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.
“As a result of Covid, the number of individuals in need of emotional support grew and, fortunately, we were able to pivot to remote listening during the height of the pandemic. This allowed us to take over 15,000 calls in 2020,” said Ms. Givelber. “The Summit Foundation’s generosity will ensure that Caring Contact has more trained listeners available to answer the increased number of calls either in our call center or remotely.”
Caring Contact’s goal for 2021 is to continue building hotline capacity to more effectively meet the increased number of crisis calls from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. This is particularly important as Congress has mandated the change to a three-digit code (988) for access to the Lifeline in 2022. 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 accredited by the International Center for Helplines, a member agency of 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 caringcontact.org. You are not alone.
