DOVER — The youth council at DJ’s Alliance recently celebrated a successful shoe drive fundraiser, raising $1,143.60 for the nonprofit organization.

The shoe drive was the council’s first fundraising activity, but Co-Chair Alexa Cruz-Hackett says it won’t be their last as they continue to grow a community of suicide loss survivors in Delaware within the DJ’s Alliance organization.

“The shoe drive was definitely very hard and time consuming but, in the end, it was worth it. This was one way to spread the importance of mental health awareness and I want to continue sharing that with kids my age, as well as support fellow suicide loss survivors,” Cruz-Hackett said.

Shoes that were collected through the shoe drive were donated to Funds2Orgs which will redistribute them to a network of micro-enterprise partners and families across the world. Funds2Orgs then wrote a check to DJ’s Alliance which will be used to offset the cost of resources and programs for survivors, as well as community outreach opportunities.

The youth council will also be able to use the funds for programming opportunities and resources geared toward younger suicide loss survivors.

“Words cannot express how proud I am of Alexa seeing how hard she worked, putting countless hours in, to achieve a successful shoe drive. I’m so happy to see her accomplish this,” Heather Cruz-Hackett, DJ’s Alliance vice chair, said of her daughter.

Members of the youth council also recently advocated for the establishment of the Office of Suicide Prevention through House Bill 54, DJ’s Act, which was championed by Senator Spiros Mantzavinos and Representative Eric Morrison and signed into law by Governor Matt Meyer in August.

“These kids have been through a lot and they continue to thrive as they advocate for themselves and others. I’m excited to watch them take the Youth Council to new heights with the help of this first fundraiser,” DJ’s Alliance Founder and Executive Director Jennifer Antonik said.

To reach out to the Youth Council or DJ’s Alliance, visit their website at http://www.DJsAlliance.com.

About DJ’s Alliance

DJ’s Alliance is a Delaware-based nonprofit focused on suicide prevention and postvention. The volunteer-run organization provides resources, advocacy and peer support to individuals and families affected by suicide loss. Learn more at http://www.djsalliance.com. If you are in a crisis and need support, please call, text or chat 988 or check out the crisis resources on DJ’s Alliance’s website.