Support Christopher's Run for Native Youth Mental Health
Beschermde donatie
Hello, my name is Christopher Porcaro.
I am a husband and father of two wonderful, healthy children living in the Pacific Northwest, who loves to run through the mountains any chance I get. It is on those mountain trails that I can’t help but feel a deep connection to the people who ran on that land before. I want to give my runs greater meaning by giving back to those who once and currently call that land home. I learned that substance abuse and mental health disorders are some of their most pressing issues. According to Indian Health Services, American Indians have the highest rate of suicide of any minority group within the U.S. These rates have been increasing since 2003. This struggle is one I am familiar with. I watched my own brother battle substance abuse and mental health issues, finally leading to his own death by suicide. I have often wondered if something like trail running would have given him a healthy outlet.
This September I plan to run the Mountain Lakes 100 in Oregon. I will be using this run to raise money in support of mental health initiatives for Native youth. One hundred percent of the donations will go to two organizations:
- Indigenous Earth, an organization dedicated to enriching lives and protecting the planet by harnessing Indigenous wisdom and fostering environmental stewardship.
- United National Indian Tribal Youth (UNITY). As stated in their mission, UNITY aims to “foster the spiritual, mental, physical, and social development of American Indian, Native Hawaiian and Alaska Native youth, and to help build a strong, unified, and self-reliant Native America through greater youth involvement.”
Both of these organizations are working to foster real solutions to the ever growing mental health battles facing Native youth today.
Organisator
Christopher Porcaro
Organisator
Seattle, WA