According to Suicide and Crisis Center Of North Texas advocate and The Diamond Factory owner David Blank,
“Our company is planning to partner with Suicide and Crisis Center in 2025, beginning with their signature fund-raising event, Fashion Stars for a Cause. As we begin preparation for this partnership, we hope you will consider how the organization can help those in need this holiday season.
“Suicide Prevention of Dallas (later to become Suicide and Crisis Center of North Texas) opened daytime phone service in late 1967 and expanded to 24-hour service with trained telephone counselors in 1969, which they consider the non-profit considers its formal opening date.
“The agency’s ongoing task, from day one, has been to de-mystify the concept of suicide and make it a subject that people increasingly can talk about, especially people whose family lives are impacted by suicide. Training workshops open to the public or to special professional groups such as physicians or pastors were regularly conducted during the early years before the taboo topic became an open conversation and a challenge to met by millions of families all over the world.
“The late community leader and health care advocate Ruth Altshuler (and other community leaders) helped the organization initial team to see that it was not practical to have an all-professional Board of Directors, so it wasn’t long before we they expanded to include non-medically trained citizens on the Board, a separate Clinical Advisory Board, and an Advisory Board composed of former presidents and special community leaders.
“According to the organization’s leadership, ‘Suicide remains our primary area of expertise. Suicide represents everyone’s most extreme state of personal crisis.’
“Many families and parents report that suicide is also the ultimate threat to parents who want to help their children manage the risky issues of growing up.
“’We have much to learn about helping people talk out their inner struggles instead of losing hope and destroying themselves,’ said one of the organization’s founders more than 50 years ago.
“As we now know, suicide knows no age, gender, ethnic, religious or family boundaries. We also know there is help, with no stigma attached, for individuals in crisis, their loved ones, their contemporaries, their co-workers and anyone who knows of an individual in need.
“Having been impacted by the suicide of a loved one, I encourage you to consider supporting the Suicide Crisis Center of North Texas. Visit sccenter.org for ways to donate, volunteer or learn more about how to help someone in crisis. My wish is that no family has to deal with this devastating tragedy during this holiday season.”
