Black Dog Ride Beneficiaries

Black Dog Ride was founded by Steve Andrews in 2009 as a ride to raise awareness of depression. Since then, thousands of Black Dog Riders have joined Steve on the road, riding to raise awareness of depression and suicide prevention around the nation.

The primary mission of Black Dog Ride remains raising awareness of depression and suicide prevention. However, Black Dog Ride appreciates the benefit to the community in providing tangible financial assistance to mental health services which play a vital role in mental health advocacy, education, and crisis support. Through the dedicated fundraising efforts of Black Dog Riders, Black Dog Ride has raised over $1,800,000 for the mental health services listed below.

To learn about the Black Dog Rides which were pivotal in supporting the organisations below, please view Past Rides.


Suicide Call Back Service

The Suicide Call Back Service - 1300 659 467 The Suicide Call Back Service is a 24-hour, nationwide service that provides telephone counselling for people 18 years and over who are suicidal; or who are caring for someone who is suicidal; or who are bereaved by suicide. The Suicide Call Back Service is especially suited to people who are geographically or emotionally isolated.

The Suicide Call Back Service provides immediate telephone counselling and support in a crisis. Additionally, the SCBS can provide up to six further telephone counselling sessions with the same counsellor scheduled at times best suited to your needs.

The inaugural Black Dog Ride in 2009 raised $34,000 for the Suicide Call Back Service.

Lamp Inc.

Lamp Inc Lamp's mission to promote the social, well being and dignity and personal independence of people with mental illnesses, their families and communities in the rural regions of the Lower South West of Western Australia; to contribute to an increased understanding and acceptance of mental illness in the community; and to be part of a person's recovery, education and inclusion for life.

As a community based NGO, Lamp's role is to: Support people with mental illness, their families, friends and carers, provide opportunity for independent living, advocacy, education and information.

Black Dog Ride has raised $29,000 for Lamp's mental health programs since 2009.

Black Dog Institute

The Black Dog Institute The Black Dog Institute is an educational, research, clinical and community-oriented facility offering specialist expertise in mood disorders - a range of disorders that include depression and bipolar disorder. The Institute is attached to the Prince of Wales Hospital and affiliated with the University of New South Wales.

The Institute's mission is to advance the understanding, diagnosis and management of the mood disorders by continuously raising clinical, research, education and training standards. In so doing, the Institute aims to improve the lives of those affected and the lives of their families and friends.

Black Dog Ride raised $496,000 for the Institute's community education programs from 2010-2012.

Lifeline Australia

Lifeline - 13 11 14 Lifeline's vision is an Australia free of suicide.

Lifeline was founded in 1963 by the late Reverend Dr. Sir Alan Walker, when he took a call from a distressed man who later took his own life. Determined not to let isolation and lack of support be the cause of more deaths, Sir Alan launched a 24-hour crisis support line. This service (13 11 14) now answers around 1,400 calls each day, and one million contacts per year.

Lifeline believes most suicides are preventable and has developed the Lifeline Suicide Prevention Strategy to inform the public about our suicide prevention work and as a committment to a whole-of-community approach to preventing suicide in which everyone plays a role.

Since 2012, Black Dog Ride has so far raised over $1,229,000 for Lifeline's suicide prevention programs across Australia, both nationally and through local Lifeline Centres in every State and Territory.

Mental Health First Aid Australia

Black Dog Ride supporting Mental Health First Aid Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Australia is a national non-profit health promotion charity focused on mental health training and research. The MHFA program was founded in Australia in 2001 by Betty Kitchener OAM and Professor Tony Jorm, Since this time, the training has spread to every state and territory in Australia and internationally, currently to 20 other countries. The vision of MHFA Australia is 'to empower community members to provide support to one another in times of mental health problems and mental health crises, with positive and inclusive attitudes towards people with mental health problems.'

The MHFA vision is "To empower community members to provide support to one another in times of mental health problems and mental health crises, with positive and inclusive attitudes towards people with mental health problems.

Black Dog Ride has raised $530,000 for MHFA since 2013.

headspace

Black Dog Ride Proudly Supporting Youth Mental Health with Headspace The service is designed to make it easy as possible for a young person and their family to get the help they need for problems affecting their wellbeing. This covers four core areas: mental health, physical health, work and study support and alcohol and other drug services.

Black Dog Ride has raised over $4,000 for local headspace centres since 2016.

The Declan Crouch Fund

Black Dog Ride Proudly Supporting the Declan Crouch Fund

The Declan Crouch Fund was set up to save lives in the memory of Declan Crouch, a 12 year old boy who tragically took his life aged just 13 years. It raises funds for the Dr Edward Koch Foundation's work in suicide prevention in FNQ, with three aims;

To break down the stigma of mental illness and suicide through raising awareness;
To campaign for an adolescent mental health ward for FNQ and better facilities for our youth and young adults;
To target our youth in schools with a youth suicide prevention program, as this is not addressed in any school in Australia.

Black Dog Ride has raised $4,800 for the Declan Crouch Fund since 2016.

The Mental Illness Fellowship of NT

Black Dog Ride Proudly Supporting The Mental Illness Fellowship of NT MIFA's mission is to provide high quality recovery-based programs offering support, education, information, and respite to all people whose lives are affected by mental illness. Our goal is to reduce community restrictions experienced by all people affected by mental illness and improve their quality of life.

Black Dog Ride has raised $2,700 for the Mental Illness Fellowship of NT since 2016