By Michael Charles

Burgers and Bands for Suicide Prevention is on a mission to prevent suicide through their investment in local schools and positive community events. 

Its latest community event on Oct. 17 in Annapolis, Md. featured live music from local bands, fresh food, a tie-dye station and a bouncy house for children. Those elements serve to create a positive environment that fosters conversations around mental health and suicide prevention founder Ann Brennan said. 

The organization was founded in 2017 with a mission of preventing suicide by raising awareness, starting healthy conversations and funding suicide prevention programs across Anne Arundel County. 

“We wanted to create something that helps people to see that they’re not alone in depression but that didn’t make them depressed in the process,” Brennan said. 

That goal stemmed from her experiences with previous suicide prevention events she attended.

“We would leave in tears,” she said.

Burgers and Bands is looking to expand its impact across the state of Maryland and beyond.

In addition to hosting events, Burgers and Bands has invested in many Anne Arundel County schools through targeted grants to aid them in the fight against suicide and depression. They provide grants ranging from $1,500 to $4,000 towards things that individual schools feel will benefit the mental health of their students, Brennan said. 

“Each of the schools has asked for something different. So it’s been really neat to see what they do,” she said.

Bethany Swain, a senior lecturer in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism, witnessed the program first hand at Rolling Knolls Elementary, where her children go to school. It received grants from Burgers and Bands — part of Burgers and Bands’ goal of starting to educate students about mental health and suicide prevention at a young age. 

The organization assists in educating students about mental health starting in elementary school and continuing throughout high school. It believes mental health issues can be prevented or mitigated that way.

Their programming isn’t only for kids. Burgers and Bands is hoping to expand to the University of Maryland soon.

“I would love to have one on the campus,” Brennan said. “I know, you guys all put on these happy faces, right? You walk around and you act like you’re happy even when things are bad. And if somebody says hey, how are you doing? I’m great.” 

Kimi Fleming, a senior journalism major at UMD, said she would welcome Burgers and Bands on campus. 

“The atmosphere at Burgers and Bands was amazing. I would love to see more events like this on campus that foster important conversations and raise money for a great cause,” Fleming said.

Swain, who helps tell the organization’s story through photography and videography, said she’s impressed by the organization’s work. 

“They’re making a difference, as well as trying to figure out how we can help. College is stressful and life is stressful.”

Featured image: A sign welcomes attendees to the Burgers and Bands event on Oct. 17. Photo by Michael Charles.