BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Andrew Sparkler
President
David Stoner
Vice President
Wynne Kelly
Secretary
James Hyre
Treasurer
Pierre Bastien
Director
Matthew J. Kaufman
Director
Alexandra Nee
Director
Claire Nee Nelson
Director
Erica Rosenthal
Director
Michael Stanitski
Director
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HISTORY
The friends and family of Dave Nee formed The David Dawes Nee II Foundation (the "Foundation") in 2006 after Dave's struggle with depression ended with his suicide in June 2005. Dave's intelligence and intellectual curiosity were extraordinary, and those traits were complemented by his humor, selflessness, and generosity. We hope to emulate these aspects of Dave's personality in our efforts to combat the disease of depression and prevent further unnecessary loss of life through suicide. In mid-2007, we formed an Advisory Board consisting of esteemed mental health professionals to assist with our cause.
OUR FUTURE
Our mission is to eliminate the stigma associated with depression and suicide, by promoting and encouraging not only the diagnosis and treatment of depression among adolescents and young adults, but also the education of adolescents and their families about the disease of depression. We believe that a principal reason for the high suicide rate in the United States is a glaring
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lack of sufficient candid discussion and early treatment for depression. Further, suffering adolescents are not aware of the available options for treatment and recovery. We hope to spread the message that depression and thoughts of harming oneself do not make one "abnormal," that treatment for depressed and suicidal thoughts is socially acceptable, and that in an overwhelming number of cases, such treatment is a safe, effective way to improve one's quality of life.
The Foundation plans to host a variety of fundraising events over the coming months and years. Initially, the Foundation intends to use funds raised by these events to develop and maintain the Foundation’s endowment. Additionally, a portion of those funds are planned to be used as grants to other non-profit organizations that dedicate their efforts to the research and treatment of depression and suicide prevention for adolescents. As our working capital grows, we will focus our efforts on developing programs that will aim to educate adolescents and their families about depression, suicide, and their treatments.
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