SUICIDE PREVENTION – HELP IS AVAILABLE!
September marks National Suicide Prevention Month. At its 73rd General Convention in 2000, the Episcopal Church pledged prayer, support, and advocacy for suicide prevention awareness. Often, those contemplating ending their lives, as well as their survivors, suffer in silence because of the shame and stigma of mental illness and suicide. 

If you or someone you know is in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. And, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Rev. Patricia Horkey, Associate Rector for Pastoral Care at St Margaret’s, 760-346-2697 x 147.

• The Living Without Fear Ministry partners with the national organization Be SMART to: promote Secure gun storage; Model responsible gun ownership; Ask about the presence of firearms in homes your child visits; Recognize the role of guns in suicide; Tell peers about what Be SMART means. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for children, teens, and young adults, ages 10-34 (CDC 2026). Please contact Connie Nyhan, [email protected] and help us get the message out.​

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• Consider participating in the Out of the Darkness Walk on Saturday, October 24, 2026 at the Palm Desert Civic Center Amphitheater. The walk brings the Coachella Valley community together for remembrance and action in addressing suicide and mental well-being. Registration at 9 am, Walk at 10 am. For more information contact Brenda Kahng, 760-835-4656, [email protected].