HOPE fair raises awareness on suicide prevention, connects community with local resources

SNOW HILL, Md. – HOPE was the word of day as the Jesse Klump Memorial Fund hosted a community fair Sunday with a focus on suicide prevention.

Jesse Klump was a Snow Hill teen who took his own life back in 2009. By that July, a nonprofit was formed with a goal of ending the threat of suicide through outreach and education.

Sunday’s ‘HOPE Fair’ featured live music, games, and a variety of vendors for attendees to shop with.

There were also several behavioral and mental health providers on site, including Worcester Youth & Family Counseling Services and the Life Crisis Center.

Executive Director Jennifer Lamade says statistics show that suicide rates spike in spring. She tells us that’s why it was important to get community members connected to resources as we’re on the verge of a mental health crisis. “Kids are struggling and the adults are struggling. We’ve all been through the pandemic and it’s kind of changed our lives. We have to embrace hope and resilience,” Lamade said.

“If you lose someone to suicide, statistically that increases your own risk of taking of your life. We’ve really had positive results that we can measure and lives that we know if we’ve not dramatically changed, we’ve may be saved,” JKMF Founding Board Member Ron Pilling said.

The Jesse Klump Memorial Fund also offers scholarships to those seeking a career in mental health. They also host a survivor support group open to those who’ve lost loved ones to suicide.

The group also urges those struggling with their mental health to use the 988 Suicide and Crisis lifeline. The 24/7 service connects individuals with a crisis center (local contact is the Life Crisis Center) and other resources to receive immediate counseling and other mental health referrals.