Armed Forces Mission Inc

Armed Forces Mission’s sole purpose is the implementation of the Intervene Challenge which addresses the epidemic of suicide through direct intervention of those at risk and the training of others to do the same. We do what we teach others to do, through experienced based principles that save lives. When we are not doing interventions, we are training others. Since 2012 AFM staff have conducted more than 1000 successful suicide interventions and trained more than 15,000 others to do the same.

Request for training has increased every year since inception. In September of 2018 we will train more people in a 30-day period than we trained in the first 12 months of our first year of service. We are currently on track to double our 2017 training number. With the recent suicides of high-profile individuals including Hollywood, sports figures, pastors, and others, the public is just beginning to recognize suicide as a major health crisis. Since 2012 the state of Georgia has experienced a 23% increase in suicide and more than 9000 lives have been lost, resulting in more than $12 billion in Future Economic Productivity Loss.  

Intervention saves lives and Armed Forces Mission is leading the charge. We train people to save people. We are raising the banner that suicide risk is an immediate health care need. We call upon Foundations, Corporations, Universities, Faith and Civic Groups to expeditiously rally with us in training all we can to turn the tide on suicide.

In 2019 through the Intervene Challenge we seek to train 3,000 additional intervention providers in those communities which have been identified as highest risk. We will continue to work diligently with various law enforcement agencies where we have made tremendous strides in the past three years. In February of 2018 AFM briefed the winter conference of the Georgia Chiefs of Police in Athens. From that meeting several training opportunities were developed with local agencies. We continue to develop working relationships with local churches for training. Many of those contacts were first made by the church due to the need for rapid response suicide intervention of a member. We are developing collaborative relationships with the University of North Georgia and have our first training event September 5th for students with a follow up community-wide event scheduled for late October in Dahlonega, Georgia.

While we teach several curriculums under the Intervene Challenge umbrella, our primary course of instruction is Listen Learn Lead, a five-hour training with the objective that participants gain the skills and confidence to render aid to individuals at risk of suicide. Additionally, participants will increase personal awareness of the community impact of suicide and understand the importance of developing a culture of community health.

AFM relies upon the financial partnership of individual donors, faith groups, corporate community partners, and Foundation grants to conduct the Intervene Challenge and carry out the mission of saving lives and training others.  In commitment to the highest standards of transparency AFM has achieved the Platinum Level with GuideStar. GuideStar provides reports on more than 2.5 million non-profit organizations.