The mission of Foods-4-Thought is to breakdown the barriers surrounding the discussion of teenage depression and suicide one conversation at a time. People gather with family and friends around a dinner table or talk over a meal at a restaurant, why not actively get this topic out in the open in those settings? If people would discuss this painful subject, they’d find that nearly everyone has been touched by depression or suicide in some way. Families need information on how to treat teens or cope with a tragedy instead of suffering silently alone.
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| Our Symbol of Hope |
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Turquoise Butterfly. Much like the pink ribbon has become a symbol for breast cancer (a topic
that years ago was also taboo), the Foods-4-Thought organization has
chosen the turquoise blue butterfly as the symbol of hope in the cause
of preventing teenage suicide. Our vision is for people to see a our
butterfly and remember those lost, help those still struggling or share a
message of hope to the survivors. Everyone of us can do something to
make the world a better place one conversation at a time.
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Two "Public Service Announcement" Videos:
California Polytechnic State University (Calpoly) Independent Film Makers have graciously volunteered their time to create two short videos to help get the message out. Please share these and give us your thoughts. We are looking to create messages about the impact of teen depression on the whole family, how common an illness this is (you are not alone), how friends should talk to an adult if their friend is suffering etc. Thanks, Calpoly Film Makers!!
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Videos - Please view our two Public Service Announcements. Provide your comments at support@foods-4-thought.org.
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Children and Families need not suffer quietly and feel hopeless
- As a Community – We can make a difference with one teenager, one family at a time
- Bring a voice to this silence
- Dispel the stigma of this mental health issue
- Create a place to provide support and information
- Help sponsor activities to promote awareness
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| Teenager dies of suicide |
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Did you know:
- Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among Americans between the ages of 25-34 and 3rd among the ages of 15-24
- Ninety percent of suicides that take place in the United States are associated with mental illness, including disorders involving the abuse of alcohol and other drugs
- Fifty percent of those who die by suicide were afflicted with major depression, and the suicide rate of people with major depression is eight times that of the general population
- You can make a difference! Help us raise the awareness of this disease and reach out to others. We can become a community willing to talk about this painful subject and help others
- See our "Resources Tab" for references and facts about this terrible disease
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Share this with your friends and communities
Help by donating a treasured recipe to the Foods-4-Thought cookbook. Provide
your memorials or dedicated recipes to this site to help get the word
out to others. Together, we can make a difference "one conversation at
a time".
Please send your recipes to: recipes@foods-4-thought.org
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For immediate help, contact the National Suicide Hotline
1-800-273-TALK
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Foods-4-Thought Cookbook is ready! Get your copy today. Contact us at support@foods-4-thought.org and we can ship one to you. The cost of production is $38 so we suggest a donation of $40 (or more if you can help our mission). Your donations go directly to school clubs and teens to raise awareness!
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| Cookbook Cover |
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Out of Darkness Walk - F4T raises over $5,000 to support the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Way to go! Oct 2010 and 2011. Two years of helping raise awareness. Proceeds support materials for high schools and other worthy causes. Thanks for your support.
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| October 2010 |
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| F4T Sponsors Hole in Golf Tournament |
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"A Cookbook for a Lifetime of Sharing" --- First Edition is complete.
The first edition of the cookbook is complete. Thank you all for the great recipes, pictures and ideas. We'll get started on the next edition so send us more! The cookbook is a great way to create a family heirloom for your family. Add your own pictures and recipes and keep the tradition going. The cookbook is in a binder so you can easily add your own touches.
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A Girl Scout Badge on Awareness of Teenage Depression?
The Girl Scouts offer a badge on "Breast Cancer Awareness", previously
a taboo subject in our society -- thank you Girl Scouts. But,
statistically, depression is a much more likely illness that scouts
(girls and boys alike) will face, whether personally or having a friend
suffer. Can we create a badge to help get the word out about teenage
depression to educate kids ages 12-18 and their parents? Listen to to
a teen's perspective on this...check out our TeenSpeak page.
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Bethesda Magazine Publishes Article on Teen Depression
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Parent’s Worst Nightmare
Two years ago, best friends Rachel Crites and Rachel Smith took their own lives sitting in a car on a remote road in rural Virginia. Now, for the first time, the girls’ parents talk about what happened—and the warning signs they missed
By Kathleen Wheaton, Bethesda Magazine
| Download Article: "A Parents Worst Nightmare" |
Family Crisis Room Dedicated
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7 May 09: Montgomery County Crisis
Center Dedicates the "Rachel Crites Memorial Room" for family
counseling. The Maryland County Department of Health and Human
Services has a new, bright, comforting setting for helping families in
crisis thanks to donations in lieu of flowers for the family of Rachel
Lacy Crites.
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