The Casino Association of New Jersey was part of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's "Out of the Darkness Community Walk” that raised more than $280,000 on the Atlantic City Boardwalk earlier this month.
Employees from every casino property participated, led by the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City.
“We are so very proud that every Atlantic City casino property has united with Hard Rock to raise awareness and funding for this important cause,” said Mike Sampson, Hard Rock's general manager and a board member of the state foundation chapter . “We are extremely grateful that our efforts will help to make a difference in the lives of many and aid the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s with life-saving initiatives.”
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino was the first Atlantic City casino to participate in the Out of the Darkness Community Walk over the past five years through Sampson’s leadership. The team at Hard Rock was driven to participate annually after the group’s personal experiences with loved ones who died by suicide.
Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States.
In 2022, nearly 50,000 Americans died by suicide.
In 2021, 94 people ages 10 to 24 died by suicide in New Jersey, according to the most recent Centers for Disease Control data. It was the second-leading cause of death for that age group in the state.
The National Institute of Health reports 20 percent of children ages 3 to 17 have either a mental or a behavioral disorder. Between 2008 and 2020, suicide rates for children ages 12 to 17 increased by 16 percent, according to the institute.
