In commemoration of National Suicide Prevention Week, the Kyle Hyland Foundation will be hosting a community event Friday featuring a video screening and discussion intended to raise awareness about the subject.
The Kyle Hyland Foundation, a local nonprofit organization aimed at raising awareness of suicide statistics and providing support for youth struggling with depression and anxiety, was established in early 2015 following the Dec. 2014 suicide of 16-year-old Benicia High School student Kyle Hyland. The foundation runs a teen center which opened in January and provides a place where Benicia Unified School District students and their guests, ages 13 to 19, can hang out, have fun, study and receive emotional support. The center features a stage for playing music, a billiards table, a foosball table, a games/TV lounge and a study area, complete with Chromebooks and printers. There are also special theme nights on Fridays, including Karaoke Night and Art Night.
This Friday’s event will be showcasing the winners of California mental health organization Each Mind Matters’ Directing Change contest. The objective was for high school and college students to create 1-minute videos raising awareness of suicide prevention or other mental health topics. A discussion will follow the program, and light refreshments will be served. This event is open to both teens and adults.
The event will take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 9 at the Hyland Teen Center, located at 1315 Military West in the building behind Gateway Church. National Suicide Prevention Week is Sept. 5 to 11. For more information on this event, email kylehylandfoundation@gmail.com.

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