Our Mission Continues
A Message from our Virginia Executive Director
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On January 2, 2025, I stepped into the largest shoes I have ever had to fill. The magnitude of the role of Executive Director for the Virginia Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is not lost on me. I started volunteering with AFSP in 2017, forming a team for the Greater Shenandoah Valley/Charlottesville Out of the Darkness Walk. My family had experienced our third loss to suicide earlier in the year and I felt it was time to bring our story out into the light. I did not know what to expect attending that first walk and there is a lot about the day I cannot recall because of the emotion I was feeling. What I do remember is being surrounded and embraced by HOPE.
Organizations often spend a lot of time and resources crafting a mission statement that sounds good to the outside world. What I have learned about AFSP is that the HOPE that embraced me at that first walk was a mission that has been brought to life. For those of us who have lost or ever worried that we might lose someone to hopelessness, HOPE is the greatest gift that can be shared with us.
The vision that I have for our chapter is that this mission will continue to be reflected in the heart of our volunteers and the accomplishments they allow us to achieve--that we will share HOPE and in doing so, we will save lives.
With a hopeful and grateful heart, |
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Markita Madden
Virginia Executive Director |
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At Work in Our Communities
Building the Dream Team
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The 2025 Walk Chair Conference was held at the Draftsman in Charlottesville, VA on January 10-11, 2025. As is tradition in Virginia, the weekend also brought with it the first major snowstorm of the season. Offering a reminder to community walk chairs to practice self-care as the season gets hectic, the theme of the weekend was "The Dream Team". Topics for the weekend included volunteer recruitment and retention, fundraising through storytelling and fundraising through community building. As the pictures reflect there was also time for games and opportunities to earn HOPE Bucks to purchase AFSP swag.
Our community walk chairs are already hard at work and look forward to seeing everyone at their walks this fall! |
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Volunteer Spotlight
Shirley Ramsey
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Name: Shirley RamseyCity: Glen AllenBead Color: White, Gold, Teal, Blue, Purple
In 2025, the Virgnia Chapter is celebrating 10 years as a chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. This is thanks to the early efforts our chapter founder, Shirley Ramsey. Shirley is a current board member, education committee chair, Healing Conversations volunteer and International Survivor of Suicide Loss Day host. Her contributions to our chapter are invaluable and she has helped to onboard many other volunteers. When asked if there was a quote she would like to share in honor of our tenth year, Shirley shared one that she said reminds her of what she has learned from AFSP:
"They who have health, have hope and they who have hope have everything." ~Maya Angelou |
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Advocacy Corner
2025 Advocacy Action Day
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Suicide is a leading cause of death nationwide and the 11th cause of death in Virginia. We are looking forward to Advocacy Action Day on Wednesday, January 22, 2025 and the opportunity to speak with public officials and advocate for better suicide prevention and mental health policies. |
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Each year, AFSP Chapters across the country host Advocacy Action Day events (formerly known as State Capitol Days) to bring advocates like me and state officials together to talk about how we can work together to prevent suicide and increase access to mental health care. Our advocacy can and does save lives, and anyone can make a difference. |
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REGISTRATION HAS NOW CLOSED FOR THIS EVENT |
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Out of the Darkness Walks
Spring campus walks and Fall community walks have begun to open for registration.
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2025 Virginia Chapter Campus Walks
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Registration is now open for many campuses.
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Christopher Newport University
afsp.org/cnu - Coming Soon!
Date TBD
James Madison University
afsp.org/jmu
Sunday, April 6, 2025
Liberty University
afsp.org/liberty - Coming Soon!
Date TBD
Longwood University
afsp.org/longwood
Saturday, March 22, 2025
Old Dominion University
afsp.org/odu
Saturday, April 26, 2025
Radford University
afsp.org/radfordu
Saturday, April 5, 2025 |
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Shenandoah University
afsp.org/su
Saturday, March 29, 2025
Virginia Commonwealth University
afsp.org/vcu
Saturday, March 29, 2025
Virginia Tech
afsp.org/vt
Sunday, May 4, 2025
College of William & Mary
afsp.org/wm
Saturday, April 12, 2025
University of Virginia
afsp.org/uva - Coming Soon!
Sunday, April 13, 2025 |
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For a complete list of Campus Out of the Darkness Walks that have opened for registration, please click here. |
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2025 Virginia Chapter Community Walks
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New River Valley
Registration & Sponsorship Coming Soon!
Join Our Facebook Group
Richmond
Registration & Sponsorship Coming Soon!
Saturday, October 4, 2024
Join Our Facebook Group
Salem-Roanoke
Registration & Sponsorship Coming Soon!
Join Our Facebook Group
Stephens City
afsp.org/stephenscity
Saturday, October 11, 2025
Sponsorship Coming Soon!
Join Our Facebook Group
Suffolk
Registration & Sponsorship Coming Soon!
Saturday, October 25, 2025
Join Our Facebook Group
Virginia Beach
Registration & Sponsorship Coming Soon!
Saturday, September 20, 2025
Join Our Facebook Group
Virginia Peninsula
Registration & Sponsorship Coming Soon!
Saturday, October 11, 2025
Join Our Facebook Group
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Upcoming Events & Opportunities
We hope you'll join us!
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Talk Saves Lives (Virtual)
Wednesday, Jan. 15th, 7:00PM - 8:00PM
Register Here
Talk Saves Lives: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention is AFSP’s 60-minute flagship suicide prevention education program that covers the scope of this leading cause of death, what the research has found to be the warning signs and risk factors of suicide, and the strategies that prevent it. |
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Advocacy Action Day (In Person - Richmond)
SAVE THE DATE - January 22nd!
Register Here
Suicide is a leading cause of death nationwide and the 11th cause of death in Virginia. Join our Advocacy Action Day on Wednesday, January 22, 2025 to speak with public officials and advocate for better suicide prevention and mental health policies.
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Talk Saves Lives Seniors (Virtual)
Saturday, Jan. 25th, 10:00AM - 11:00AM
Register Here
Talk Saves Lives: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention is AFSP’s 60-minute flagship suicide prevention education program that covers the scope of this leading cause of death, what the research has found to be the warning signs and risk factors of suicide, and the strategies that prevent it. |
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Talk Saves Lives (Virtual)
Tuesday, Feb. 4th, 12:00PM - 1:00PM
Register Here
Talk Saves Lives: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention is AFSP’s 60-minute flagship suicide prevention education program that covers the scope of this leading cause of death, what the research has found to be the warning signs and risk factors of suicide, and the strategies that prevent it. |
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L.E.T.S. Saves Lives (Virtual)
Sat., Feb. 15th, 10:00AM - 11:00AM
Register Here
L.E.T.S. (listening, empathy, trust, support) Save Lives: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention for Black and African American Communities is a presentation created by and for Black people, designed to reduce cultural stigma, foster conversations about mental health, and raise awareness of suicide prevention for individuals who identify as Black or African American. The program is grounded in research and delivered by trained presenters from the Black and African American community. |
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Suicide Bereavement Support Group Facilitator Training (Virtual)
Feb. 24th-26th, 9:30AM - 1:00PM
Register Here
This training is by invitation only, and priority will be given to currently active AFSP Virginia Chapter Volunteers who meet the criteria outlined on the registration page. Please contact Markita Madden at mmadden@afsp.org or (540) 718-2221 to request a registration code. |
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About the Training:
The AFSP Facilitator Training Program offers suicide prevention organizers a way to create and facilitate a community support group for suicide loss survivors in the aftermath of a suicide. Courses are offered as 3-half-day trainings, of up to 36 attendees, and include lecture, interactive discussion, and role-playing. They are led by experts in the field of suicide bereavement.
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AFSP Virginia Chapter
P.O. Box 28
Harrisonburg VA 22803
AFSP Virginia Chapter Board
Chair: Winter Brooks (Stephens City)
Vice Chair: Matthew Austin (Moseley)
President: Dr. Cassie Glenn (Virginia Beach)
Treasurer: Sean Higdon (Broadway)
Secretary: Shannon Sullivan (Ruther Glen)
Briddge (Virginia Beach)
Lorrie Eanes (Danville)
Kevin Long (Bridgewater)
Katherine Martinez (Virginia)
Robert Noriega (Richmond)
Ronald North, Jr. (Waynesboro)
Shirley Ramsey (Glen Allen)
Scott Stevens (Christiansburg)
Carl Trost (Staunton)
AFSP Virginia Special Events ManagerEmily Bacalis, CVAebacalis@afsp.org
AFSP Virginia Executive Director
Markita Madden, CVA
mmadden@afsp.org
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American Foundation for Suicide Prevention 199 Water Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10038 |
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