On Friday the 25th and Saturday the 26th of September, Wellington Samaritans will hold their Annual Appeal on the streets of Wellington. Samaritans 24/7 helpline offers confidential, non-religious and non-judgmental support to anyone who may be feeling depressed, lonely or suicidal. Samaritans is a charity that receives no Government funding and relies solely on grants and donations to operate.
Samaritans vision is that “fewer people die by suicide”. Donations received at the Appeal will help fund all of the costs associated with running the free nationwide helpline, 0800 72 66 66. Funds are needed so Samaritans can continue to answer calls from anyone that is struggling to cope or contemplating suicide.
Mr John Meeuwsen, the Chairperson of Wellington Samaritans, said “Kiwis from all walks of life are struggling to cope right now. Someone you know of or care about may be in distress. We need donations to be able to answer their calls. Every call to our helpline costs money, and when we are receiving over 23,000 calls each year, that soon adds up. We need to raise $15,000 from this Appeal to maintain our service.”
Tragically, New Zealand has one of the highest rates of suicide in the world and suicide is a leading cause of death. Provisional suicide statistics for deaths reported to the Coroner show that in New Zealand, 654 people took their own lives in the 2019 / 2020 year.
John Meeuwsen emphasised that every donation makes a difference. “For the price of a cup of coffee you could help save someone’s life. If you see a collector please drop a donation in the bucket to help us achieve our mission of reducing deaths by suicide. Please be generous, be a lifesaver, and help us make sure no call for help goes unanswered.”
Tax deductible donations can also be made here by credit card.
Samaritans of Wellington – MEDIA RELEASE
2nd of September 2020