Kate Spade Clothing Brand Pledges $1 Million To Suicide Prevention Groups

The first donation of $250,000 goes to the Crisis Text Line.
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The Kate Spade New York Foundation has pledged to donate more than $1 million to suicide prevention groups in memory of fashion designer Kate Spade, who died by suicide earlier this month.

The foundation specifically promised to give $250,000 to the Crisis Text Line, which provides free crisis support 24 hours a day. It will also match donations from the general public to the nonprofit text service through June 29, up to a total of $100,000.

“Kate Spade was a true fashion icon who brought joy to the lives of women around the world, and inspired women to live life to the fullest. We are dedicated to carrying on her legacy,” Anna Bakst, the CEO of Kate Spade New York, said in a statement to ABC.

Within hours of the Wednesday morning announcement, the Crisis Text Line had received almost $20,000 from more than 400 donors.

“We researched a number of organizations doing this incredible work. Crisis Text Line stood out by doing consistently impactful work, while also looking for ways to innovate and reach more and more people,” the Kate Spade New York Foundation said.

The foundation has not yet named any other organizations to which it plans to donate.

Spade founded the eponymous women’s clothing brand, perhaps best known for its colorful purses, in 1993. She died on June 5 at age 55 in her apartment in New York. The New York City medical examiner ruled her death a suicide.

The designer’s brother-in-law, actor David Spade, donated $100,000 to the National Alliance on Mental Illness after her death and urged others to “hang on.”

If you or someone you know needs help, call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741-741 for free, 24-hour support from the Crisis Text Line. Outside of the U.S., please visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention for a database of resources.

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