Our display at UNH got off to an interesting start. We pulled onto campus and met a large group of volunteers that waved as our truck pulled around the corner of the parking lot. After we pulled up and hopped out we briefly met the volunteers and began to plan the layout of the display. Within the hour, and thanks to the hard work of our volunteers, we had the display set up and ready to go. The local news station was filming a segment about the backpacks when we faced a bit of an unexpected change of plans: the wind. It had been gusty during the set up, but we’re used to a bit of wind. As the hour passed, however, the wind grew and grew until we had to make the decision to relocate the display to its indoor option. Normally this would have delayed the event longer than we’d like, but this is also where the power of the community at UNH really shined bright.

Within minutes of sharing the news that we’d have to pack up and move all 1,100 backpacks that had just been set up, the local chapter and volunteers were already loading the bags and discussing logistics of how to keep the display going as seamlessly as possible even with the move. Every time we turned around there was a new un-scheduled (and greatly appreciated) new volunteer from both the counseling center and other students that saw we needed an extra hand. Within just minutes everyone had the bags re-packed, piled, and ready to move.

Instead of waiting for the extra vehicles to move the bags, several volunteers opted to carry the story bags by hand across campus so we could get the display running again immediately. On a return trip I asked if the distance was okay to be carrying such heavy bags. They replied “It’s tough, but this is our big day” as they grabbed more bags and headed towards the Alumni Lounge, where the display was now being set up.

If you blinked you’d have missed the transition. Within no time the display was back up and running at its new (and windless) indoor location. Students and faculty began streaming in and the conversations and questions began flowing. Watching the entire process and seeing how much the students and faculty came together to help each-other after an unexpected situation really exemplified the power of community and of a supportive network. Even the visitors that didn’t know of Send Silence Packing before the event often came in groups or brought groups back with them.

The chapter had an extra event that we hadn’t seen on any stops yet. Anyone who visited the display could decorate a clay pot with colorful paints and then take home a flower in it. This was hugely popular during the day and really allowed visitors to express themselves creatively—a valuable tool for your mental health. We’re excited to know that as all of these visitors nurture their new plants, they’ll have a visible reminder of everything that was shared and learned this day.

New York is certainly as fast paced as I’ve always heard, but that didn’t stop people from all ages and all sides of life from slowing down and interacting with the display. Time after time I’d notice someone walk by, do a double-take towards the 1,100 backpacks laid out in Flatiron plaza, and then come spend some of their day asking questions and absorbing the stories. Being somewhere as metropolitan as New York also allowed us to expand our reach even further geographically—”Supporting mental health from across the world,” one person wrote on our banner.

As with all of our city displays, being in New York gave us a chance to reach out to more than just college students. City displays bring us a larger range of ages and many different life stories. Mental health is something that affects everyone, and with the help of several local colleges and universities we were able to impact a huge amount of people with our display at Flatiron Plaza.

Throughout the day, the staff and volunteers talked with parents, teachers, and relatives that were concerned for the young people in their lives. Kids as young as elementary age were interacting with the display and being educated about mental health by the adults that visited with them. Many people commented on the important messages that the display leaves with them. A mother commented to me that educating kids about mental health is extremely important to the way that they treat other people. She also said that she wanted to start having an open dialogue with her sons about feelings and mental health while they are young, which is such a valuable tool to give them. It’s never too early or too late to adopt these kinds of healthy habits.

There were also conversations with older generations during the display. It was a learning experience for students to hear about the struggles that others had already gone through. People thanked us for speaking up for people that may not have a voice, especially when they were college aged.  We heard from older generations about a sense of hope after struggling for years with issues they thought they couldn’t talk about.

It’s a moving and humbling experience to see so many people come together for something so ubiquitous. Mental health is something that every person that has ever lived—and ever will live—shares with one another. With even the smallest actions we can begin to take enormous leaps—and the first step is simply deciding to listen.

Franklin and Marshall was our second stop this tour and though you wouldn’t know it from their hard work, another young chapter. Both the St. Joseph’s University and Franklin & Marshall chapters started this past fall and they are already making huge strides in mental health advocacy on their campuses.

One student’s backpack was especially relevant to this display and community—Matthew Carr. Matthew was a Franklin & Marshall student who lost his life to suicide in December of 2010. Matthew’s Family helped bring the event to campus through funding and support and shared his story and his backpack with other students and faculty throughout the day. We were also able to speak with many students who had known Matthew. There were even quite a few that didn’t know him personally but had heard of him—students talked about his bright personality and his involvement around campus.

During these conversations, we heard of lot of questions about what kind of actions could be taken to be aware of mental health issues, and ways to actively support the cause. Some of the school’s counselors (who were present and incredibly helpful throughout the entire day) had recently been sharing a system called “QPR” as an option for active methods of suicide prevention.

 QPR stands for: Question, Persuade, Refer and it gives everyone a chance to be involved in making a difference. It is an open and easy way to reach out to someone that may be quietly suffering. QPR is broken into three easy steps that can save a life:

Question: When you see someone that may be showing signs of suicidal behavior, speak up and ask them how they are feeling. Question them about their motives and how they are dealing with a tough time in their life.

Persuade: Let them know that there are ways to ask for help and tell them that it is okay to talk about their feelings. Remind them that you are here for them and you care about the decisions that they make.

Refer: Go with them to find resources that fit what they’re going through. Reach out to places in the community and on campus. Research online resources with them and make sure to be supportive in their journey to help themselves heal.

It is important to remember what a difference a support system makes to someone that is dealing with mental health issues. Franklin and Marshall has developed a very strong support system between their Active Minds chapter, their counseling center, and other campus resources.

The first stop on the Spring 2012 tour greeted us with great weather and a fantastically supportive chapter and community.

Jordan Burnham, a member of the Active Minds Speakers Bureau, spoke at The Perch on campus the night before with a turnout of over 200 students and faculty. He shared his story of struggling with depression and how his suicide attempt started his recovery toward sharing his story today.

There are a lot of things that can affect or inspire someone to become a positive mental health advocate. For some, like Jordan, it was a personal experience that inspired them to change their lives and to help others that may be struggling. For others, inspiration came from the struggles that friends and family members had.

We asked people on St Joseph’s campus what provoked them to take an interest in mental health and becoming an advocate:

Send Silence Packing is on college campuses as a resource to inspire students, faculty, and community members to get involved and give those struggling a voice. Community resources on the campus included: Belmont Center for Comprehensive Treatment, Delaware County Suicide Prevention Awareness, Main Line Health, and the local National Alliance on Mental Health.

On St Joseph’s campus, many students were quick to sign up to be a part of Active Minds and were interested in knowing how they can help. Local high school students came to view the display, and several fraternity members volunteered throughout the day. Many of these students described the display as “eye opening” and “amazing” and wanted to know how they can be heard in support of mental health and suicide awareness.

Remembering what got you started in becoming a voice for mental health is important in the work that everyone continues to do. If you’re still waiting for that moment, right now is your opportunity.

We’re back! Brandon and Nicole here. We partnered up during the Spring 2011 tour and we’re back to bring Send Silence Packing to 14 new places this time around. We hope you’ll follow along with us as we share the experiences and interactions from the tour as it travels around this spring. To start us off, here’s a bit on our flights in from Michigan (for Brandon) and North Carolina (Nicole) to the Active Minds national office in Washington, DC!

We both flew into Baltimore early Tuesday morning. The 3 AM Alarm worked like a charm.

Our luggage got the window seat in the train to the metro station, where we attempted to use our navigation skills to venture the redline to Dupont Circle.

It was our first time seeing the new office since the move, and we were amazed at the how much the space and staff had grown. We even had our own cubicle to make last minute preparations for the tour (Thanks, Becky).

All of the materials were packed and ready to be loaded into our 16 foot truck that will be accompanying us throughout the tour. The staff was more than helpfu with planning and debriefing.

We headed to the storage facility where the backpacks are kept, the truck was loaded with the help of some friends from the office and we were on our way to Philadelphia!

Stay tuned for our first stop at St. Joseph’s University!

Active Minds Send Silence Packing is back on the East Coast for this spring’s 2012 tour. The tour is kicking off on March 29th at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA.

Send Silence Packing will continue to travel along the Northeast until May 9. Our acclaimed suicide awareness program will be making stops at 13 campuses, including two State University of New York campuses, and for the first time ever a display in Fairfax County, Virginia hosted specifically to reach high school students.

Spring 2012 Tour Schedule

• March 29: Campion Student Center – St. Joseph’s University (Philadelphia, PA)
• April 3: Hartman Green – Franklin & Marshall College (Lancaster, PA)
• April 5: Flatiron Plaza, Manhattan on Broadway between 22nd and 23rd streets (New York, NY)
• April 9: Bixler/Botwinik Quad – University of New Haven (West Haven, CT)
• April 12: Homer Babbidge Library – University of Connecticut (Storrs, CT)
• April 16: Olin Library – Wesleyan University (Middletown, CT)
• April 18: Penfield Library – SUNY Oswego (Oswego, NY)
• April 20: Syracuse University Quad – Syracuse University (Syracuse, NY)
• April 23: The Quad – Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Worcester, MA)
• April 25: Smith College (Northampton, MA)
• April 30: Bard College (Annandale-on-Hudson, NY)
• May 3: Student Center – Hofstra University (Hempstead, NY)
• May 7: LOVE Park/JFK Plaza, Center City at intersection of 16th St. and JFK Blvd. (Philadelphia, PA)

If you are local to any of the campuses on this spring’s tour, we encourage you to visit one of the Send Silence Packing displays.

Active Minds Send Silence Packing is a display of 1,100 backpacks representing the 1,100 college student lives lost to suicide each year.  Active Minds Inc. has collected and continues to collect backpacks and personal stories in memory or in honor of loved ones impacted by suicide. By displaying backpacks with personal stories of loved ones that put a “face” to lives lost to suicide, Send Silence Packing carries the message that preventing suicide is not just about lowering statistics, but also about saving the lives of students, daughters, sons, brothers, sisters and friends across the nation. The display aims to spread awareness about college student suicide and initiate a dialogue on this heavily stigmatized topic.