The Brookie Foundation

Suicide is the third leading cause of death among teens. Nearly 4600 lives between the ages of 10 and 24 are lost each year, with another 157,000 receiving medical care for self-inflicted injuries at Emergency Departments across the U.S.

A beautiful 15 year-old girl only days away from beginning her Sophomore year,  Brooke's laughter and dancing lifted hearts.  While perceived as unafraid to speak her mind, she kept much to herself.  Brooke had the usual issues a teenager has - anxiety from school, feelings of being different and misunderstood, and normal drama between friends and family.  Those internal conflicts caused her speak loudly, not with words but with action.  Yet, Brooke wanted to be heard; she didn't want to die.  Tough moments pass and tomorrow always comes, though sometimes that's hard to see.  Tragically, the pills won. Everyone lost.  

The Brookie Foundation seeks to create a welcoming peer-to-peer environmen in junior high and high schools across America.  When youth may be hesitant to speak up and obtain help elsewhere, someone their own age  can be perceived as non-threatending and non-judgemental.  Teens live in the moment and have such a hard time comprehending the permanency of their actions.  This resource group is a place where teens can come and talk about their conflicts in life, realizing through open discussion that they are not the only ones struggling to find their way.  Teens will learn about information, people and resources that offer help and guidance.  Now is the time to live!