 Trigger warning: This blog includes topics such as mental health and suicide loss. If you google suicide statistics the first thing that comes up from SAVE, states “Almost 800,000 people die by suicide in the world each year (one death nearly every 40 seconds)”. And “depression is the leading cause of disability each year”. If you or anyone you know has gone through a loss of this magnitude you know how earth shattering it can be. In 2014 when my younger brother took his own life I lost my deepest confidant. We were (and especially him) the only two that faced the wrath of my mother’s abuse which became even more clear when my mother took her own life in February of 2020.  Suicide can make or break a family and it’s done both to mine. It’s such a deep quake in the foundation of each of its members that creates cracks that can never be repaired. As an empath, both of these losses changed me and my outlook on life tremendously. I’ve learned so much about myself and the people around me. In 2018 when I came across “Suck It Suicide” at a convention I was vending at, I knew this could be how myself and my small business could give back to those that have suffered similar losses. Suck it Suicide is dedicated to making sure “People from diverse backgrounds have access to the resources and tools they need to live peacefully and support their family and peers around issues of mental health”. They also “educate, train, and equip individuals with helpful and relevant resources, to encourage awareness, understanding, and conversation about suicide”. Not only having a community of individuals that can relate to your situation, but offering support to families in need makes this cause a must to donate to for A-Cute Design. You can read more about their efforts and organization in their about section below.  This story does feel like it’s come full circle in a way. After my brother passed I couldn’t do my job anymore, despite earning a Master’s Degree completely on my own to work at a job like the one I was at. I just knew it wasn’t for me and I needed to express my creativity and work on my own terms. This led me to starting my own business in 2015. Now doing my crochet, design and laser business full time, I truly look forward to giving back to this community as one of the causes I support. As I progressed through my shows each year with my business I kept designing new hats to offer variety to my customers. I just added these two tone beanies (our sheila beanie pattern) in 2019 and after I saw how the colors of the black and grey ones matched the patch I wear from Suck It Suicide I knew incorporating these hats was how I could give back to the non profit. A-Cute Design will be donating 15% of all of our two tone sheila beanie sales to the cause quarterly. You can select any of the color combinations and custom color options for this style are welcome too.  Releasing this charity on my brother’s death date 6 years later, I hope I did him proud. I am looking at this as a way to honor those I have lost and give hope to others and my future family. If you feel so inclined I hope you take a look at this organization, especially if you are local or have been affected by suicide and and mental illness, we have linked them again below. I hope to go outside my comfort zone and volunteer once the world is right again.
Wishing you and your family safety and love during this difficult times. Thank you for reading. -Jenna
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