Many Pacific Islanders call Alaska home, but sometimes being far from away from family and Pacific Island culture can be challenging. Based in Anchorage, the Polynesian Association of Alaska engages the community through events, educational opportunities, and cultural celebrations, fostering pride and acceptance of diverse cultures. With funding from the GCI Suicide Prevention Fund, they are applying that work to a suicide prevention awareness initiative for families.
“The Pacific Island Suicide Prevention Awareness program is rooted in a belief that educating parents is key to lowering the rates of suicide,” said Lucy Hansen, executive director of the Polynesian Association of Alaska. “Teaching parents what to look for when their child is looking for or needs help, as well as where to go to get assistance, is a huge step in suicide prevention for youth.”
The cultural difference between growing up in the islands and growing up in the city can be hard to grasp, but the Association hopes to provide support and connection through community events. They have translated documents, fliers, and books into their native language for those who speak English as a second language or do not speak English.
The program was one of 13 supported in 2023 through the GCI Suicide Prevention Fund as part of an ongoing effort to reduce suicide and promote mental health awareness in Alaska. The 13 recipient programs spanned across Alaska, including in Anchorage, Buckland, Juneau, Kotzebue, Kuspuk School District, Nome, Nenana, St. Paul, and Scammon Bay.
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“Programs like Pacific Island Suicide Prevention Awareness are the reason the GCI Suicide Prevention Fund is so important,” said GCI Gives Senior Manager Tiffany Vassar. “The goal is to reduce rates of suicide in Alaska and promote mental wellness and what better way to do that then get the youth and parents involved.”
Each year since 2016, the GCI Suicide Prevention Fund has provided $100,000 to support initiatives and organizations dedicated to preventing suicide and offering support to those affected by it. Past recipients have made significant strides in suicide prevention and mental health awareness and have profoundly impacted individuals and communities across the state.
The fund prioritizes programs and initiatives that will impact communities that might not have easy access to suicide prevention resources and recognizes that community-based programs have a unique opportunity to apply cultural beliefs, practices, and values that an outside organization would not know or understand. Cultural understanding is important to suicide prevention because it increases feelings of belonging and acceptance, which in turn mitigates feelings of isolation and loneliness.
Suicide is a heavy subject. If anyone is in crisis, call the crisis care hotline 800-273-8255 or call the Alaska Careline at 877-266-HELP. You can also call and/or text 988.