In the United States, accidental drug overdose is currently the second leading cause of injury-related death for young people. The worst part about this, however, is that all of these deaths are preventable. Huntington resident Naomi Wolf knows firsthand how teen suicide can destroy a family and a community. For that reason, she founded Adam’s Hope House, a non-profit that is trying to restore the hope that has been lost.

In 2013, Naomi’s life was ripped apart: her twenty-three-year-old son committed suicide. Like any mother that has lost a child, she experienced indescribable pain and suffering, but she channelled her emotions into ensuring that no one ever had to go through what she went through: she created a charity. Adam’s Hope House emerged out of great sorrow, and today it is changing the world for the better.

Adam’s Hope House’s mission is “to advocate for individuals and families who are combating the ramifications of emotional crisis and/or mental illness by crafting a community-based therapeutic environment.” To do this, Adam’s Hope House has created the “Tree of Life,” a symbolic tree where each branch represents “an aspect of support to help guide and empower individuals toward the direction of wholeness.” The branches are vision, wholeness, communication, connection, creativity, empowerment, and safety. The goal of Adam’s Hope House is to create a community of adults, not a hospital, where kids suffering from mental illness can go to receive therapeutic treatment and talk frankly in a safe place.

Adam’s Hope House is a great charity to get involved with, and, being a local charity, they are always hosting events in the neighborhood (in fact, they recently hosted a gala concert on October 25th). To volunteer, or if you would like to reach out to Adam’s Hope House for support, email Naomi at [email protected] or visit their website at http://www.adamshopehouse.com/.