My Nonprofit Reviews
Becky
Review for San Francisco Suicide Prevention, San Francisco, CA, USA
I have the honor of serving as a vice president on the board of San
Francisco Suicide Prevention. As the oldest suicide hotline in the US,
this organization has become the model for over 500 similar services
across the country.
What is truly unusual about SFSP is its leverage of resources. Ten
staff members coordinate the work of 100 local volunteers who help
over 10,000 individuals with problems ranging from suicide to
homelessness, hunger, AIDS, and addictions.
The agency is contacted by phone or computer over 70,000 times each year. Yet they subsist on a budget of less than $750,000. They can accept donations through their website, sfsuicide.org or by texting "TALK" to 20222 on a cell phone for an instant $10 donation.
More Feedback
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
knowing the number of calls they receive per year. The organization is there for people. Anytime somebody needs help there is a volunteer at the other end of the line, someone who understands crisis, people, and the resources they need. There is still no substitute for being able to talk to someone when the world caves in. Volunteers become "addicted" to this kind of work. SFSP had dedicated and very long-term volunteers because they like doing this work.
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Make sure that absolutely everybody knows about it. Make sure that anyone in a position to contribute, even just a little bit, knows how they can support SFSP.
