Originally an idea Donnetta Bishop-Johnson had to bring culture and music into her community, the Hillsborough Music Festival has evolved into an opportunity to spread the word about suicide prevention and anti-violence education.
Last month, Bishop-Johnson and her husband Jordan Johnson donated $3,000 raised at the festival to BoroSAFE on behalf of My Son, Your Daughter: The Jonah Johnson Youth Scholarship Fund and another $500 from The Allegra School of Music & Arts.
While suicide continues to be the third leading cause of death among teenagers and young adults in the United States, Hillsborough has specifically seen a "statistically significant" number of suicides over the past 15 years.
Thats why Hillsborough Township Public Schools have integrated the BoroSAFE program into their school system - to appropriately reach out to students about suicide, how to prevent it, and resources available in the community.
“Speaking of suicide is not something that endangers people who are not thinking about suicide," said Yuri Marder, communications director for The Allegra School of Music & Arts. "but speaking of suicide is something that can be extremely helpful for those who are considering it.”
This year's Hillsborough Music Festival will be scheduled for sometime in early August.
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