I'm dedicating this diary to a man named David Brooks. He was a fellow blogger and strong supporter of / advocate for those suffering from mental illness. David (known by handle db) passed away two days ago.
David was not (as far as I know) a family member here at Dkos but he was a huge part of another important online family: walkers.org
Walkers is a non-profit organization staffed with volunteers that provides online support- via forums, chat rooms, etc.- for those struggling with depression, bipolar disorder, and other mental illnesses.
Walkers provides a lifeline for many who have no other means of support. Many people (including myself just a short while ago) were ready to end it all before they found a home at walkers.
In honor of David and all the others like him who do such important work, I'd like to ask if any of my fellow Kossacks could donate a few dollars to keep Walkers afloat. http://walkers.org/
There are people who would not be around if Walkers did not exist.
Please follow me and REC this diary if you feel it appropriate. TY
Walkers is an amazing community. David knew that and that's why he made it such a big part of his life. He introduced many people to the site and helped them through the rough times.
One person, on hearing the news last night, even stated that David was a father figure to them. The community was devastated to hear the news of his passing. I have no doubt in my mind that some people on the site would not still be around if it weren't for the selfless work of db and others like him on the site.
I know this for a fact because I was one of them.
David also had his own website. It was about football, but even there he promoted walkers. (You can learn more about db at his website http://vertgame.com/... He openly discussed his own struggle with mental illness on the site, discouraged people from feeling "shame" of having a mental illness, and directed them to helpful sites, like Walkers. If you scroll down on the page you'll see "A personal note to readers" where he tells his story.
While reading the news-feed on the walkers.org site last night I noticed that they are struggling to stay afloat and are in desperate need of donations.
I thought it would be a wonderful idea to see if this great community could help out another great community by donating a few dollars to walkers in honor of David Brooks.
There is nothing that db would have liked more.
http://www.walkers.org/...
This is the link to the donation page. Even $5 would make a difference.
And with the amount of people who are out of jobs now or without insurance, places like Walkers have become that much more important. Members help other members find resources, support, etc.
Please give a few dollars if you can. I'm donating $20 right now, even though I'm on disability and struggling myself.
THANK YOU KOSSACKS!!!!!!!!!
NOTE: I am not affiliated with Walkers.org in any way other than being a member of the site. They don't even know I'm writing this. I just know that they are struggling and wanted to do something in David's memory.
Here is a quote from the Walkers page that explains their financial situation:
It is costing us a great deal of money to prepare and file all the paperwork necessary to attain our tax exempt, charitable organization status. We do not have special funds for this, so we have to pay out of our regular operating funds to do this.
It is very important then that we receive as much support for our members as possible, so that we can proceed. Many things, including legal fees, are being donated but never the government's fees. The all-important Form 1023 that we must file with IRS will alone cost us over $750.00 just to file. Many states also require individual filings which can run $50+ each to file.
So, it is really very important that we have your help, not only with our usual operating expenses (which I have been paring down to the bone), but all of these new expenses.
If Walkers helps you in any way and you feel that you benefit from this place being here, please do support it. Even a $5 donation helps, especially if you make it a monthly donation.
http://walkers.org/...
Thank you, thank you, thank you in advance for any help you can offer.
And if you know of anyone who could use some support, all are welcome at Walkers!
This one's for you, db!
RIP, my friend