This Volunteer Spotlight story originally appeared in AFSP's 2024 Annual Report. To read other inspiring Volunteer Spotlight stories, and to learn more about our work, click here.
Candi Morris found great support through her local AFSP chapter following the death of her father in 2015. She became involved as a volunteer beginning in 2019, and quickly found herself leading the effort to organize the Gainesville Community Walk. Feeling so much love and support at that first Walk ignited her to get even more involved by serving on the chapter board, tabling at events, presenting Talk Saves Lives: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention, and assisting students in hosting the very first Campus Walk at the University of Florida (UF).
“After our 2022 Community Walk, I wanted to reach more of the student population. I asked a Walk participant who was a recent graduate of the University of Florida how we could get more students involved, and her thoughts on organizing a Campus Walk.
If you want students to show up, you’d better have something fun for them to do! That is exactly what we did. We contacted the UF Psychology Club and asked the department’s academic advisors to join us to paint a section of the famous 34th Street Graffiti Wall in Gainesville with the AFSP message: HOPE. I was bowled over by the large number of students and their friends who showed up that day. As we painted the wall, I listened to their heartfelt stories of loss and the personal struggles they face as students, as well as the need for more mental health counselors on campus. The students want their voice to be heard.
This past September was our second year to paint the iconic 34th St. Wall. We had returning students and new students joining us. We’ve formed a bond now. They ask hard questions and want honest answers. They asked me how I felt when I lost my dad. I was open about my feelings, and they truly appreciated it. I want them to see and understand that there can be hope and resilience in response to challenging experiences.
I have learned over these past six years that you can bring hope to so many just by listening and honestly showing you care. When someone opens up to me, I listen. I might not say a lot. I might just give a hug. But those small gestures are what can put an unexpected smile on someone’s face and let them know they are not alone and that there is hope: a lot of HOPE!”