The 9th Annual Walk for D.E.S. 2021

Registration:

Free for all, however, if you would like to donate to our mission, $25 per person will get you a T-shirt . You must add the donation amount in the box below t-shirt size in order for the payment indicator to pop up. Registration is online; please register if you plan to participate. If you are coming and not donating at this time, the payment box will not appear and we look forward to seeing everyone !

After August 15th we cannot guarantee that shirts will be available.

Why we are walking:

Every 11.1  minutes someone in the United States dies by suicide.  Nearly 1.38 million people make a suicide attempt every year.  In Lancaster and York Counties , approximately 121 individuals take their lives by suicide each year.  Beyond the numbers, the ripple effect of suicide is staggering when viewed in the context of pain, loss and suffering to those who are left behind.

Help us lift the stigma that surrounds suicide and mental illness.  Help us save lives and restore hope through awareness, prevention, and intervention.

The DES Foundation's Beginnings (Organizers)

On June 6th, 2011 Mark, Debbie and Danielle  Schantzer lost their 21 year old son and brother to suicide.  There were no signs, no warnings, and no answers.  Nothing prepared them for this tragedy.  Desmond's death rocked the very core of their family's existence and the pain they have known is beyond comprehension.

Sitting in grief is debilitating; working through grief is healing.  This is the reason Mark, Debbie and their daughter Danielle joined with community partners to create The DES Foundation Inc. a 501 (c)(3) charity and to organize the Walk for D.E.S.

Our goal is to raise much needed funding to support the work of dedicated partners that are committed to raising awareness about suicide, working to prevent these tragedies, and providing grief counseling and support when heartbreak occurs.

• The Walk for D.E.S. has funded the creation of The Lancaster County Suicide Prevention Coalition which includes approximately 40 community agencies and individuals.
• The Walk has started conversations about suicide and increased the understanding of mental illness .
• The Walk has created an opportunity for hundreds of survivors to meet and support each other
• The Walk develops and distributes tools and resources to stop suicide throughout the counties.
• The Walk provides emergency assistance to survivors

What can you do to support this effort and bring awareness to an issue that remains hidden until it's too late?

The Foundation is working to Fund Activities supporting community-wide suicide awareness and prevention activities and to provide monetary support for individuals and families impacted by suicide.

Partnering organizations dedicated to this walk and also working to advance suicide awareness and prevention across Lancaster and York County include:

The DES Foundation Inc,  The Lancaster County Suicide Prevention Coalition, Pathways Center for Grief & Loss (Hospice), Survivors of Suicide (Lancaster Chapter), and Mental Health America of Lancaster County.