JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Hundreds of people came out Saturday to the Jacksonville Landing to participate in the "Out of the Darkness Community Walk."
The fundraising effort supports the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, according to a news release sent to News4Jax.
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Organizers want to provide awareness about suicide locally and nationally, and reduce the annual suicide rate by 20 percent by 2025.
"I think people just don't understand mental illness," said Jennifer King, whose mom committed suicide in 2011. "I don't think there's enough resources out there and if there are resources, people don't know where to go to get the resources or they don't have the funding to get the resources that they need."
The Jacksonville "Out of the Darkness Community Walk" is one of more than 350 across the country.
Organizers said they believe more than 100,000 walkers will participate in walks across the country. The walks are expected to raise more than $12 million for suicide prevention efforts.