Care & Comfort donates to the JD Foundation

Photo courtesy of Care & Comfort
JD FOUNDATION DONATION — Employees of the Dover-Foxcroft Care & Comfort location donated $635 raised through the Jeans Fund to the JD Foundation, with the contribution to support educational programs focused on suicide prevention.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Care & Comfort and the staff of the Dover-Foxcroft branch recently presented the JD Foundation a gift to support educational programs focused on suicide prevention. On average one person in Maine dies from suicide every 39 hours. This is a startling statistic, one which must be acknowledged and discussed.

“Suicide is the end result of one not being able to cope with the pain they feel. Eighty percent of those who die by suicide have depression. With that being said, most people with depression do not die by suicide,” remarked Cheryl Morin, foundation’s founder and president while speaking to a gathering of Care & Comfort employees. “Suicide must not be swept under the rug. We must open our minds, and our hearts and realize that depression – a mental illness – is just that, an illness! All illnesses must be treated and treated properly.”

The JD Foundation hosts workshops, designed for adults and/or youth, during which participants learn about warning signs, risk factors and available resources. Providing support for veterans and their families dealing with PTSD, offering community guidance in dealing with the aftermath of suicide and many more outreach programs are also provided.

“We applaud Cheryl for founding the JD Foundation after the loss of her son to suicide,” said Mike Stair, Care & Comfort’s COO. “As providers of behavioral healthcare services, we recognize suicide has become an epidemic in our state. Our Dover employees chose to support and partner with the foundation as they have seen Cheryl and her team work tirelessly to eliminate the stigma attached to suicide. It is time for us to stop whispering and start openly discussing how to recognize the warning signs and work toward prevention.”

This gift was made possible through the Jeans Fund, an ongoing collaborative fund-raising effort between Care & Comfort and its employees. Every Friday is Jean Day, and staff may leave their usual work attire at home and wear jeans for a donation. The company then matches every dollar raised, and the employees of each branch select their local beneficiary semi-annually.

“I am honored that Care & Comfort saw the JD Foundation worthy of honoring us with a check for $635 as well as acknowledging our organization for our efforts and dedication. Making a difference is the goal we come to work with every day,” remarked Morin. “Education is imperative — if someone you know if feeling suicidal you may save a life. We must stop thinking ‘it won’t happen in my family!’ It can happen in any family, in any walk of life.”

For more information about the JD Foundation call 876-2295 or visit www.thejdfoundation.org.