Thanks for visiting my fundraising page. On April 26th I'll be running the Big Sur International Marathon to raise money for San Francisco Suicide Prevention (SFSP). Please consider supporting the vital work of this organization with a donation of any size.  

This is a tough time to think about giving to charity. But it's precisely because the economic downturn is creating even greater challenges for people struggling with serious mental illness that SFSP's work is so critical.

SPSP is America's oldest crisis line. The organization provides 24/7 free telephone crisis counseling from trained volunteers. I first got involved with SFSP in 2006 as a crisis counselor, and have now spent around 200 hours on the lines talking to people coping with depression, loss, schizophrenia, relationship problems, unemployment, addiction, terminal illness and other life crises. As someone who coped myself with major depression 4-5 years ago, I can testify to the life-saving value of skillful counseling from a compassionate listener. Your dollars will play a vital role in supporting the basic operational costs that SFSP has to cover to keep the lines running for people in crisis.

Running marathons and ultramarathons has played a great role in my recovery from depression -- this will be my 7th marathon or ultra-distance race in the last two years. Until now I've done those races for myself: I've never felt more alive than when I'm running. But while training for my most recent race (the California International Marathon in December 2008), I realized that marathons had already given me everything I could realistically expect in terms of fitness, mental health, and psychological satisfaction. My natural next step was to offer my next race in the service of a cause beyond myself -- to run in a spirit of devotion, wishing that feelings of affirmation, healing and joy ripple from my own heart to others affected by mental illness. My Run for Life is offered in that spirit of support for those in deep pain, and I am grateful for any support you are able to give.

Note: Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure.

You can read more info about SFSP at www.sfsuicide.org

Also, please consider forwarding this campaign to friends who might be willing to support it.

Love, Jason