2021 Impact And Highlights
In our second year since founding Gabriel’s Light, despite the continued challenges of a global pandemic, we are proud of the great strides made towards achieving our mission to prevent youth suicide through education, cyber safety, and kindness campaigns. We are driven by the startling statistics and understand that young people are suffering from increased mental health problems.
A recent study released on World Suicide Prevention Day reported that over half of high school and college students are worried about their mental health. Sadly, depression, anxiety, suicide attempts, and bullying have all increased dramatically since the start of the pandemic.
We are encouraged knowing that nearly 90% of those who seek treatment for depression respond well. Additionally, 4 out of 5 who attempt suicide exhibited warning signs. There is hope and we aim to increase awareness, provide education, and fund support for those who are struggling.
2021 Impact
Throughout the year, we continued our Youth Ambassador program engaging students with our mission to prevent youth suicide while teaching them transferrable skills such as branding, social media strategy, and fundraising. In addition, we launched a partnership with YMCA Camp Tecumseh providing mental health support and initiating a broad kindness campaign for over 5,000 campers. Read more about our 2021 endeavors and impact below.
2021 Highlights
YMCA Camp Tecumseh Partnership
Camp Tecumseh is one of the largest YMCA camps in the country. This summer, Gabriel’s Light trained all the counselors on the importance of kindness, and donated decks of Kindness Cards for counselors to use with campers. We developed a kindness-themed program for Counselors in Training (CILTs), which included a series of posters for them to hang around camp. To further support mental health on campus, we funded the services of Purdue University’s Counseling and Psychology Department. In addition, Gabriel’s Light donated to their capital campaign to fund new facilities.
“We are seeing a drastic increase in campers and staff who are going through heavy stuff. The mental health support underwritten by Gabriel’s Light is really making a difference.”
- Joel Sieplinga, CEO Camp Tecumseh YMCA
Kindness Cards
One of the pillars of our mission is to highlight the importance and power of kindness through kindness campaigns. We designed a set of Kindness Cards to promote kindness towards self (self-care) and kindness towards others. Each card has a unique focus and encourages 5 minutes of daily practice. Our Kindness Cards were used by over 5,000 campers this summer:
YMCA Camp Tecumseh
Ethiopian Community Association of Chicago Summer Camp
Imagine Englewood If youth summer day camp
Social Works summer camp Kids of the Kingdom
“These are so awesome! These will be so helpful to use with my campers and the design makes them so happy and fun. I wish you could do programs like this in our school.”
– Counselor In Training, Camp Tecumseh
Youth Ambassador Program
Our Youth Ambassador Program continues to expand offering kids and teens a chance to learn transferrable skills while helping us forward our mission to prevent youth suicide. Each of our five sessions this year had a different focus including self-care, fundraising, and social media campaign development. We are continually inspired and encouraged by our youth ambassador particpants and understand that peer-to-peer communication and support is one of the most effective ways to prevent youth suicide.
Know a potential youth ambassbador? Learn more about the program and find applications here.
Hope Squad In Schools
Through our partnership with Elyssa’s mission, we provide Hope Squad suicide prevention training, education, and support in schools. This year, we funded a total of 9 schools training 6,750 students and will continue to expand our reach next year.
Other 2021 happenings…
We were featured in Streetwise in September offering suicide prevention awareness.
Devin Moore of @RaceToSpeakUp spoke to our Youth Ambassadors during National Bullying Prevention Month
Freedom Boat Club Chicago named a boat ‘Gabriel’s Light’ and introduced their members to our mission
Chicago company, Luft Balloons raises awareness with limited edition balloons
2022 Is Looking Bright
With donor support, we can continue to expand our programming to reach more people, save lives, and support mental health.
KEY GOALS FOR 2022
Peer-to-peer suicide prevention training in Chicago Public Schools and all Archdiocese of Chicago schools
Broaden the reach of our Youth Ambassador Program
Create a resource and support packet for newly bereaved family and friends who have lost loved ones to suicide
Expand our peer-to-peer fundraising program supporting marathon runners, triathletes,
How can you help?
Donor support of Gabriel’s Light is truly helping save young lives. We have big plans for 2022. If you’d like to help us continue our important mission with a donation, please click on the DONATE button above.
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We never charge a fee for our work. If you know of a school, an after school program, an organization, or a potential youth ambassador that could use our services, please refer them to us by emailing us here.
About Gabriel's Light
In 2019, Carol and Brendan Deely founded Gabriel’s Light in honor of their son who died by suicide at age 12. In honor of Gabe and all those lost to suicide, they share their journey with the hope that others may learn and grow from their tragedy. Focusing on three pillars of cyber safety, suicide prevention, and kindness campaigns, through outreach, programs, partnerships, and funding, they raise awareness and inspire youth, parents, and educators to take action and help forward their mission.