The combination of financial stress and the uncertainty of COVID-19 has seen a significant increase in the number of crisis calls to suicide prevention services.
Australia’s largest service, Lifeline, has reported receiving 3,000 calls per day during the crisis – that’s one call every 30 seconds.
Which is why confectionery manufacturing company Mars Wrigley has donated more than $40,000 to Lifeline branches in Ballarat and Harbour to Hawkesbury, to give back to the local communities where they are based.
The donations have gone towards new headsets for the centres, to better enable crisis support volunteers to offer lifesaving support.
Mars Wrigley General Manager Andrew Leakey said the global pandemic had left many people needing additional support.
“The global COVID-19 pandemic has introduced challenges to millions of lives, and as a business, we are committed to supporting the local communities we operate in as we collectively navigate these uncertain times,” Mr Leakey said.
“Through our donation to Lifeline, we hope to support the mental wellbeing of our community by ensuring volunteers have the equipment they need to carry out the critical, lifesaving crisis support work Australians need during this time and into the future.”
Mars Wrigley has donated more than $200,000 in cash and in-kind donations to charities local to their Ballarat and Asquith businesses during the global crisis.
If you or anyone you know needs help, call Lifeline 24/7 on 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14 from 6pm-midnight.