JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — K9s for Warriors unveiled a digitized billboard along Interstate 95 in Southpoint with veteran suicide numbers on Wednesday.
The organization hopes this initiative will raise awareness about veteran suicide while encouraging the community to work towards a solution.
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There is a staggering number of service members and veterans who die by suicide each year. From January to May of 2019, 3,000 cases were reported by K9s for Warriors.
3,000 veteran suicides since January 2019. @k9sforwarriors unveiled this new billboard along I-95 to remind everyone to work towards a solution. @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews pic.twitter.com/0NUH2gD6xA
— Elizabeth Pace (@PaceAnJax) May 1, 2019
“Every single week we’re going to update this clock, which every week, you’re going to have more veteran suicides and that number is not going down, it’s going up,” K9s for Warriors CEO Rory Diamond said.
Nothing better than on your birthday doing something about which you are intensely passionate. Today we launched the National Veteran Suicide Clock off Highway 95. Veteran suicide is preventable. Let’s prevent it. #stop22 #veteransuicideclock pic.twitter.com/LkF8H6kN8W
— Rory Diamond (@RoryDiamond) May 1, 2019
According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, 20 veterans die by suicide each day. K9s for Warriors is a nonprofit service dog provider for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and military sexual trauma. They help veterans in 46 states.
For immediate help, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline can be reached at 1-800-273-8255. The hotline is available 24/7.
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