Our City Cares has raised $38,320.00 for 2020-21 Suicide Prevention Signs of Hope campaigns.  

The above amount has allowed us to print, assemble, and deliver to our first 87 schools. Our Goal is $100,000.00 and 200 Schools and communities. 

This year brings a lot of challenges to all of us but among our most vulnerable.... our kids. The current crisis requires us to respond. Our City Cares is expanding our campaigns to more districts and enhancing them to meet the current distance learning needs. We need our communities to help. 

According to the CDC In 2019 suicides had risen 76% in the age category of 10-24. This year suicide and drug overdoses have taken more young people's lives than the virus.  Call volumes to crisis lines are up 600%-1000%. Can you help us bring hope and help to the hurting by supporting your local neighborhoods and schools campaign?

Support your local school and Raise Hope One Community at a time

Join a district team and gather enough donations to support your school at $500 per school, this could easily be done by 10 families giving $50.00 each Just click on the blue fundraise button above to get started.  The $500 helps us support schools throughout the whole school year.

• Schools
  • Can purchase a kit for themselves
  • Have a local business buy it for them
  • Start a fundraising campaign to purchase

• Parents of Students
  • Can buy for their school as an individual or a group
  • Aid in fundraising engaging  the efforts of your PTA

• Alumni
  • Can buy for their school as an individual or a group
  • Aid in fundraising efforts as directed by the School or alumni association

Alternative Ways to Donate

Text to give: Text OCC to 202 858 1233 
Make Checks Payable to Our City Cares
Mail to: 5411 NE 107th Ave Ste 100, Vancouver WA 98662

The Mission: Unite Communities to Combat Suicide

Suicide is both an individual choice and a societal problem. 

Our City Cares Campaigns exist to unite businesses, churches, non-profits, city governments, and schools to combat the tragedy of suicide. The sheer magnitude of this problem is too big for any one entity to combat. By uniting together we can and must make a difference.

The Action Plan: 200 Schools and 1000 Hope Ambassadors in 2020

Our City Cares has set a goal of reaching 200 schools and 1000 Hope Ambassadors helping with the Signs of Hope Campaign for the 20-21 School year.  Schools are the center of our community and reach some of the most vulnerable populations. By engaging schools and their surrounding neighborhoods, we are reaching whole cities. The conversation of suicide prevention can take shape organically using the messages of hope to launch the conversation.

How do you get involved? 

• Give your time: Work with your school to become a Hope Ambassador, distribute signs, Volunteer at events
• Spread the Word: Share on Social Media, tell your friends, invite others to join the cause
• Our first 85 campuses will receive a Hope in a Box kit to get their Hope Ambassadors started. 
• Donate: We welcome all donations of any amount. 

The Urgency of Combating Suicide

When someone dies by suicide, whole communities are impacted. Suicide does not end the suffering of one, it transfers and multiplies the pain to the survivors left behind. Our hope is that we will encourage the hurting and send a clear message that suicide is not the right answer.

A tragedy with an unparalleled ripple effect occurs when someone makes the choice to take their own life. The pain and heartache it leaves behind devastates and breaks the hearts and crushes the spirits of families and friends. Whole communities of people are left with complicated grief and haunting questions. It sends a subtle hopeless message that spreads through communities like ripples in a pond. It’s often unnoticed until another person makes the same tragic choice.

We believe that by uniting communities to communicate a clear message against the lies that people in turmoil believe, we can change the ripple effect. Your Life Matters, You Are Not Alone, Your Mistakes Don’t Define You. 

About Our Founders: Joe and Sheryl Stephens

Joe and Sheryl Stephens were forever changed when they received the news that their son, Jon, had died by suicide. Jon had no known history of mental health issues. He was embarking on a new adventure headed off to college across the country when he chose to end his life. Shocked by this, Joe and Sheryl searched for answers and found that there was much to learn about suicide. In the following year, their community experienced several suicides. Witnessing the shock and devastation of their community, and because of their own experience, they were gripped with a question, “What can we do?” 

In asking that question, the idea was sparked to spread hope in simple ways. Out of this, the Our City Cares movement was born.

To Those Who Made This Possible: Our Sponsors 

Thank you! Thank you for uniting with us to combat suicide. We would not be here without you.