Growing the Circle

Every survivor deserves a place to land.

When someone dies by suicide, there are resources and communities specifically designed to help those left behind. When someone dies because they were murdered, there are resources for those impacted by homicide.

But what happens when a person loses someone they love to murder-suicide?

They can find themselves grieving two devastating realities at once—often without knowing where they belong, who understands, or where to turn for support.

That is why Impacted Survivors of Murder-Suicide (ISMS) exists.

ISMS is a survivor-led nonprofit dedicated to providing support, resources, and advocacy for people affected by murder-suicide while fostering healing and resilience through community engagement and education.

We understand this loss because we have lived it.

What began from personal tragedy has grown into a national community connecting survivors with one another and creating resources specifically for a population that has too often been overlooked.

Over the past year, ISMS has grown exponentially.

We have:

Expanded our peer support opportunities for survivors
Helped families navigate the complicated grief that follows murder-suicide
Produced and expanded our Unspoken Grief podcast
Created educational and practical resources for survivors, families, and professionals
Published survivor stories to break the silence surrounding these deaths
Developed resources for first responders and those supporting affected families
Presented at conferences and educational events, including a Keynote address in October
Built partnerships with organizations working in suicide prevention, mental health, grief, and survivor support like the AFSP, Mental Health of America, and Didi Hirsch mental health services
Reached survivors and supporters across multiple states and countries including Canada and Australia

And we are just getting started.

This September, we're growing the circle.

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month—a time when communities across the country come together to raise awareness, encourage connection, and remind people that no one should have to face suicide alone.

For ISMS, that message includes the people left behind after a murder-suicide.

Our goal is to grow our capacity so that more survivors can find support, more families can access resources, more professionals can understand this unique form of loss, and fewer people have to wonder, “Where do I go now?”

This year, we're inviting our community to help us grow in a new way through peer-to-peer fundraising.

You can make a donation, start your own fundraising page, invite your friends and family to support ISMS, or simply share our campaign with someone who may need it.

Every person who joins us helps make the circle a little bigger.

A donation to ISMS isn't simply a contribution to an organization. It helps create connection where there is isolation, resources where there are gaps, and hope where grief can feel overwhelming.

Help us grow the circle.

Help us reach the survivor who doesn't know where to turn.

Help us build a community where they can finally say:

“I'm not alone.”

Donate. Fundraise. Share. Join us.

Together, we can continue growing a place where every survivor has somewhere to land.

$25 — Help One Survivor Feel Less Alone
Your gift helps provide connection and support through ISMS peer spaces and survivor resources.

$55 — Give Someone a Place to Land
Your gift helps us provide practical grief resources and information to survivors navigating the aftermath of murder-suicide.

$100 — Grow the Circle
Your gift helps expand survivor outreach, educational resources, and opportunities for connection.

$250 — Bring Support to More Survivors
Your gift helps ISMS reach more families through peer support, education, advocacy, and community outreach.

$500 — Help Us Reach Beyond Our Community
Your gift helps support the development and distribution of resources that equip survivors, professionals, and communities to better understand murder-suicide loss.

$1,000 — Help Build What Comes Next
Your gift helps ISMS expand its programs, strengthen partnerships, and reach more survivors who desperately need to know they are not alone.

Your gift doesn't just support ISMS. It helps determine how far we can grow.

Growing Together: From One Survivor to Many

We’ve grown. Our community has grown. And together, we can reach even more survivors.

Team Members