September is National Suicide Awareness month; so, when Amelia Joss saw her opportunity, she ran with it.

Joss joined forces with To Write Love On Her Arms, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting those struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. With a personalized donation page, a 150 dollar goal, and a feeling of determination, Joss began her fundraiser for TWLOHA on Aug. 20.

As she promoted her page on social media, donations started rolling in faster than she anticipated.

“I was absolutely blown away by the support my fundraiser received,” Joss said. “A lot of unexpected people donated and that really inspired me.”

The month of September continued on, and Joss surpassed her original 150 dollar goal. Soon she was looking at a total of 854 dollars raised on Sept. 12, when her fundraiser came to a close.

“The issues that TWLOHA supports are so prevalent in our society. All of the money raised will go to scholarships for people who need help, but can’t afford treatment,” Joss said. She mentioned many of her friends struggle with depression, anxiety and suicide so the fundraiser hit close to home.

Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States. The P-CEP community recently experienced this loss.

“If you or anyone else you know is struggling with mental health or substance abuse, please get help,” Joss said. “You are beyond worthy of this life, so please take care of yourself and your loved ones. This month is a time to honor those we have lost, fight for those who can’t fight for themselves, and initiate difficult conversations on topics like this.”

Photo by Nina Joss