Samaritans, Inc.

Samaritans, Inc. is a Boston-based nonprofit dedicated to preventing suicide and supporting people who have lost someone to suicide. Its free, confidential and nonjudgmental services include a 24-hour helpline for calls and texts, which is part of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, and Hey Sam, a peer support textline for young people ages 14 to 24. Volunteers and staff answer more than 90,000 calls and texts each year.

Beyond crisis support, Samaritans runs suicide prevention workshops for schools, workplaces and organizations, along with virtual and in-person grief support groups for suicide loss survivors. Its Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors teams bring listening and resources to Massachusetts families soon after a death, and an eight-week virtual group serves people who have survived a suicide attempt. The organization relies heavily on volunteers, some of whom have served for decades.

What to Know

• The annual Samaritans 5K and Breakfast for Hope raise support for its programs.
• The Scripps family gave more than $1 million, the largest one-time gift in the organization’s history.
• Services are offered in Massachusetts and across the United States.
• The Margaret Stewart Lindsay Award recognizes individuals for their dedication to the Samaritans mission.