YORK COUNTY, Pa. — Give Local York, a day of philanthropy designed to support the nonprofits helping people right in your own community, will take place from May 4 to 5.
As the event draws nearer, FOX43 is highlighting some of the nonprofits that will benefit from the donations.
Building Bridges for Brianna is one of those organizations.
The nonprofit was started by Matt Dorgan, Brianna's father, after she committed suicide at 15 years old in December 2020.
"I wanted to build a bridge between the people who need help and the people who can give help," Dorgan said.
Just over 20 days after Brianna passed, he and friends who had been through a similar experience of losing a loved one to suicide banded together to put on a memorial for the teen.
"We did a small event—we thought it was just gonna be a memorial," Dorgan said. "A couple food trucks, a motorcycle ride, some live music—and we were just blown away. It had about 1,500-2,000 people who showed up, and they were all talking about mental health."
The group decided that instead of hosting a single event, they needed to create a movement in the community. Now, they do public speaking, put on events, help people access care by assisting with copays and much more.
"There's a bunch of different things we do with coping mechanisms," Dorgan said. "Like music, for me. After Brianna passed away, putting on headphones and listening to music at night—that was a help. But some people can't afford the headphones. We'll help out."
Building Bridges for Brianna is planning a Mental Health Night at WellSpan Park on May 12. The money raised through Give Local York will go into putting on this event and building the bridges between caregivers and those who need support.
For more details on what Give Local York is all about, instructions on how to make a donation and the full list of nonprofits that will benefit, click here.