Code Green Campaign Fundraiser

I know it seems that I post a lot of requests for charitable donations here on the blog. Well, at least it seems that way to me.

But I’m really not a sucker for every cause that crosses my path, and I do get quite a few requests to publicize this or that cause. Enough so, that if I posted every one, my blog would quickly degenerate into a constant bleg for time, money and attention from each of you.

Because of that, there are only two charitable causes I’m officially involved with. One you’re well familiar with, and that is Kilted to Kick Cancer.

The other is a new one, and one that I feel very strongly about. I am reminded of its importance every time I read about another EMS provider committing suicide. There is a lasting stigma attached to depression, PTSD and mental illness among the public in general and public safety providers in particular. It’s as if admitting that occasionally the healers need healing is a sign of weakness, and emotional trauma goes ignored until the next news story of a paramedic, cop or firefighter taking his life.

And the victim’s colleagues are invariably surprised to know that anything was wrong.

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The Code Green Campaign aims to erase the stigma of provider mental health issues through awareness, education and peer support. It’s a damned worthy cause, and one with which I am proud to be associated. Think of us as crowd-sourcing emotional peer support. Like them on Facebook, read other’s stories, contribute your own, and realize that you are not alone.

There are thousands of other EMTs, cops and firefighters out there who have felt exactly the way you do, and have survived to realize that it does indeed get better. All you have to do is be strong enough to ask for help. 

But The Code Green Campaign wants to be more than just an online support community. We want to actively campaign to raise awareness for mental health issues in EMS, advocate for mental health support and crisis intervention with employers, and educate the rest of the EMS profession about the issue.

To do that takes money. We’ve already been registered as a non-profit organization in Washington state, the first step on the way to achieving 501(c)3 status. We need to raise $2500 by July 23rd to raise the rest of the money it will take to keep that process rolling.

If provider mental health is an important issue to you, please donate what you can to their Indiegogo campaign.

Thanks for your support.

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