Frequently Asked Questions

Click on the links below to find answers to the most common questions we receive. If you have a question that is not listed, call us at 888-333-2377 or send an email to walks@afsp.org.

Is there a fee to participate?
No - there is no registration fee and no minimum amount of money that you must raise to participate in an Out of the Darkness Community Walks, though we do encourage each walker to set a goal of $150 or more.

Does everyone have to register to walk?
Everyone who is 13 or older by the date of the walk must register. Minors between the ages of 13-17 must have a parent or guardian agree to the electronic waiver when registering online, and must have the signature of a parent or guardian on the participant waiver when registering at the walk.

Is there an age requirement to participate?
No - the Out of the Darkness Community Walks are open to all ages. Minors under the age of 18 must have permission from their parent or legal guardian to participate, and anyone under the age of 13 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who is also a registered walker.

How do I register online?
Registration is simple -- just click here, select the community walk nearest you, click the "register now" button on the event page. You will be guided through the registration process and, once your registration is complete, you will receive an email confirmation. You can then set up your own personal fundraising page in your account and begin fundraising!

I received a message that my email address is already in use when I try to register. What do I do?
Click the Login link below "Been Here Before?" box at the top of the registration form and enter your email and password information from previous years to continue with registration. If you do not have your password information, click the "Reset Password" link. This will send an email to your email address immediately that will allow you to reset your password and continue with registration. 

I thought I registered, but for some reason I am not. What do I do?
Log in to your account with the email and password you registered with and click on "Your Events." You will see a drop-down menu that lists your "active" (current) events and your "inactive" (past) events. If the upcoming event you plan to participate in is not listed in your active events, you will need to return to the event page and click "Register Now" to register. 

Will I get a free t-shirt?
Participants that raise $150 or more by the day of the Walk will receive a free Out of the Darkness t-shirt. Walkers who have raised less than $150 are welcome to walk and join us for an inspirational event including entertainment, memory activities, sights, sounds, and camaraderie, but will not receive an Out of the Darkness T-shirt.

I am having trouble registering.  What do I do?
Take a look at our step-by-step guide to registration here.

Am I required to fundraise for an Out of the Darkness Community Walk?
No - there is no registration fee and no minimum amount of money that you must raise to participate in an Out of the Darkness Community Walks, though we do encourage everyone to set a goal of $150 or more.

How can I fundraise?
Fundraising is easier than you think and we provide you with tips and information to help you reach and exceed your personal goal.

You'll receive your unique DonorDrive page, where you can post a personal message and photo, and send out emails to family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues. It’s a simple way to raise money, and we see many participants reach their goals literally overnight after sending out one email. You can also find tips and tricks on our Fundraising page.

Do you offer gifts for fundraising?
Yes. While we know that your motivation is knowing that you're taking steps to fight suicide, we do offer recognition gifts as a way to say thank you for your efforts. Click HERE to learn more.

A donation is not appearing on my DonorDrive page; what should I do?
Please allow four weeks for any mailed donations (both check and credit card donations) to post to your account.

If your donation does not post within four weeks, please email walks@afsp.org.

When I receive a donor's check, should I enter it online?
No. When you receive a donor's check, please mail it with the donation form to the address on the donation form.

I forgot my Password and can't reach my DonorDrive page. How can I find out what it is?
Click the "Forgot Password?" link in the login box on the homepage. Type in your email address and click the reset password button. DO NOT click this button more than once. You will receive an email to reset your password in 10-15 minutes. If you’re still having trouble, call 888-333-AFSP (2377) or email walks@afsp.org and we'll help you.

What is the best place to order custom t-shirts?
You can design and sell custom t-shirts that raise funds for your Out of the Darkness Walk fundraiser with Bonfire -- get started here.

How can the donations I raise on Facebook be applied to my fundraising page for the walk?
You can now fundraise for the Out of the Darkness Walks through Facebook, but your Facebook fundraiser must be started through your personal fundraiser portal in DonorDrive for donations to appear on your page. Simply log in to your account, then click "Start a Facebook Fundraiser" from the Your Fundraising menu on the right side of the page. Or create it through the app.

If you start the Fundraiser on Facebook using the "add a donate button feature," donations will be sent to AFSP as general donations from Facebook and will not appear on your page. If you started your fundraiser through Facebook and would like your donations to appear on your walk page, please contact walks@afsp.org as soon as possible for further instructions.

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I connected a Facebook Fundraiser to my fundraising page, what happens when someone donates?
When someone donates on your Facebook Fundraiser, their donation will count toward your fundraising goal on our website. Fundraising progress (total raised) and your fundraising goal will always be in sync between Facebook and our website.

Someone donated to me on Facebook and I can't see their name or email address.
Facebook users may opt not to share their email address. We recommend thanking them from your Facebook Fundraiser page or by commenting/posting on Facebook. Once you've thanked your donors, you can mark each donor as "thanked" on your fundraising page on our website.

I connected a Facebook Fundraiser to my fundraising page, what happens when I change my goal on my fundraising page?
Whenever you change your goal on our fundraising website or on your Facebook Fundraiser, the fundraising goal will be synced so that both pages show the same fundraising goal.

I connected a Facebook Fundraiser to my fundraising page but photos and text formatting did not show up on my Facebook Fundraiser.
Facebook Fundraisers allows us to sync plain-text only. Any images, videos, or other rich content on the “My Story” tab on your fundraising page will be stripped out when syncing the content to Facebook.

I connected a Facebook Fundraiser to my fundraising page. How can I thank my Facebook donors?
You can thank your Facebook donors directly on Facebook by commenting on their donation, sending a one-to-one message through Messenger, or recognizing the publicly by mentioning them in a post. Once you've thanked your donors, you can mark each donor as "thanked" on your fundraising page on our website.

I donated on Facebook and need my receipt.
Your receipt was issued by Facebook and sent via email. You will need to fill out this form to get another copy of your receipt. We cannot issue receipts for donations made on Facebook.

I donated on Facebook and need a refund.
You will have to fill out this form for any refund requests for donations made on Facebook. We cannot issue refunds for donations made on Facebook.

Can I form a team?
Yes. When you register online, you can create your own team, or select a team to join from the drop down box when you register online.

If you’ve already registered as an individual walker but you want to join or form a team, log in to your DonorDrive page (or click "Dashboard" if you're already logged in) and select "Change Team Membership" from the Event Information section in the menu at the bottom right side of your Dashboard. You can also email us at walks@afsp.org with the name of the team you'd like to create or join. 

Can I donate to a team?
Yes! However, team donations do not count toward each individual participant or their total for incentive gifts.

Can I create team shirts?
Yes! You can create them on your own, or click HERE to create them and have funds go back to your team!

The Event

All event-specific questions (what times does the walk begin and end, is parking available, are dogs permitted, etc.) should be directed to the Walk organizer. Contact information can be found on the home page of your local walk

Who should I make the checks payable to?
Checks should be made payable to AFSP or the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Please complete one donation form per check to ensure proper processing.

Download and complete an Offline Donation Form, then mail the check to:

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (or AFSP)
Attn: OOTD Walks
199 Water Street, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10038

Is my donation eligible to be matched by my company?
Many employers sponsor matching gift programs and will match any charitable contributions made by their employees. To find out if your company has a matching gift policy and view their requirements, please visit www.afsp.org/matching.

If you already have matching gift paperwork that you need to submit for verification, it can be emailed to workplace_giving@afsp.org with the subject line "Matching Gifts," faxed to 212-363-6237 ATTN: Matching Gifts or mailed to:

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (or AFSP)
Attn: Development Assistant
199 Water Street, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10038

It's okay to combine matching gift paperwork with check donations when sending them via mail.

Can I make a cash donation? What do I do if someone donates cash to me?

We cannot accept cash donations prior to the walk, but you can turn in cash donations during event check-in. We do encourage you, however, to convert your cash donations into a cashier's check and submit it with a completed offline donation form for tracking purposes.

A donation is not appearing on my DonorDrive page; what should I do?
Please allow four weeks for any mailed donations (both check and credit card donations) to post to your account.

If your donation does not post within four weeks, please email walks@afsp.org.

When I receive a donor's check, should I enter it online?
No. When you receive a donor's check, please mail it with the donation form to the address on the donation form.

Can I set up a recurring donation?
Recurring donations allow donors to donate a set amount once a month for a specific amount of time. Recurring donations usually take about 48 hours until the first donation goes through. Expect to see the next donation come about 30 days after the first donation has posted.

Please note that only the incremental monthly donation will be posted to your fundraising page, not the total pledged sum.

What can my Out of the Darkness Walk Donations do?
You can find out here.

How can I donate to a Walker’s campaign?
On the home page of the website, friends and family can locate a participant by using the "Fundraiser Search" box at the top of the page. By typing in the name of the participant, they will be directed to the participant's personalized donation page.

Why is the fundraiser search not finding a Walker that I know has registered?
You must type in the first name or last name of the Walker exactly how it is spelled; you can also use part of the first or last name for a broader search. The search terms are not case sensitive.

How do I see who has donated to my campaign?
Login to your DonorDrive page using the "Account Login" button in the upper right hand corner of the home page. Use the Email Address and Password that you created when you registered for the event. From here you can then view your donor list and the amounts that have been donated.

Are donations tax deductible?
Yes. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. All donations that are made online will receive an email confirmation. You may print this email confirmation and use it as your receipt. All donations of $250 or more will receive a written confirmation at the end of each tax quarter that also doubles as a tax receipt. The IRS accepts cashed checks as a receipt for donations $249 and under.

Can I accept donations in foreign currency?
Yes. But all donations must be received in U.S. dollars. Donations from outside the U.S. may be made online if the donor has a U.S. address associated with a credit card. If the donor does not have a U.S. address, donations must be made by completing your offline donation form. The form should either contain complete credit card information or be accompanied by a check issued in U.S. dollars.

Can donations be made after my walk has taken place?
Yes. You may continue to send in donations, even after the event has taken place. The deadline to submit donations for walks occurring in the fall is December 31st. The deadline to submit donations for walks occurring in the spring is June 30th. 

How can I make a general donation to the cause?
Of course! Simply choose an event and click the “Donate Now” button on the event page.

All donations support the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

How does the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention fight suicide?
AFSP uses you donations to:

  • Fund Research for Suicide Prevention
  • Create and Distribute Education Programs
  • Advocate for Public Policy
  • Support Survivors of Suicide Loss

Thanks to donors like you, AFSP has been able to set a goal to reduce the annual suicide rate 20% by 2025.

What is AFSP’s tax ID number (or EIN number)?
The Out of the Darkness Walks are charitable events run by AFSP, which is recognized as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. The tax ID number or EIN number for AFSP is 13-3393329.

Where can I get a copy of the 501(c)(3) (Not-for-Profit Organization) letter for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention?
You can find all of the updated AFSP financial information HERE

walks@afsp.org
888-333-AFSP (888-333-2377)

AFSP
199 Water Street, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10038