For the second year, Compass Group participated in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s (AFSP) Out of the Darkness Walk in Charlotte, North Carolina. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Out of the Darkness Walks raise money for AFSP’s vital research and education programs to prevent suicide and save lives. The walks raise awareness about depression and suicide, and provide comfort and assistance to those who have lost someone to suicide.

Compass Group and Foodbuy associates came together to walk in support of one of our own, Foodbuy associate Jayne Buckley. In August 2014, Jayne Buckley and her husband suffered the devastating loss of their beloved son Adam due to suicide. The Buckley family continues to share about their son’s death so others will know they are not alone and there are resources available to help.

Just one year ago, I didn’t think much about suicide because it was something that happened to other families and really not that often. I believed people that committed suicide probably outwardly showed their unhappiness with this world and would reach out for help if they got desperate and even if they didn’t people would seek them out, intervene and most times rescue them before it was too late. I have learned the hard way that this is simply not true.

On the outside, our son Adam was a happy, healthy, handsome and articulate young man who played and coached hockey and was deeply in love with his future bride. However, unbeknownst to my husband Tony and I, his sister, his friends or his fiancé, on the inside he was in trouble and could no longer face the pain, torment and turmoil that he clearly struggled and fought every day.

Suicide is sneaky. It can be silent or loud. It can creep up on you with no warning. But it is real and touches more people than we could ever imagine. We can no longer help Adam but we can help others avoid the loss and anguish we now suffer every day by bringing awareness to this epidemic that touches far too many lives. We have been incredibly fortunate by the tremendous support from our Foodbuy and Compass family. I cannot imagine living through the past year without it. However no one should go through what we have experienced. Please reach out for help if you or someone you know needs help. It is readily available and together we can and will win this battle.

In 2014, the Compass Group & Foodbuy team was the highest fundraiser for this event. This year, over 60 associates and their families participated in the walk and raised nearly $13,000 for AFSP.

Interested in supporting AFSP in your own community? Click here for more information on Out of the Darkness Walks across the country as well as for more information on suicide prevention.