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Our Mission
The Jesse Klump Suicide Awareness and Prevention Program's objective is to end the threat of suicide in Worcester County and beyond through programs of outreach and education.
Our Namesake
In early 2009, the tragic death of Jesse Klump cast a pall over the entire community of Snow Hill, Maryland. Jesse was a fine scholar, a gifted athlete and a natural leader. Beyond his grades or his athletic achievement, Jesse had already demonstrated maturity beyond his years and had, by the strength of his character, inspired his peers (and some of us who are a lot older than his peers) to respect and emulate him.
Jesse remains the light that guides us through all of our missions. The Jesse Klump Suicide Awareness and Prevention Program exists to help young people navigate the anguish and challenges of their young adult lives; to become what Jesse would have become, to achieve Jesse’s goal of making the world a better place through others.
Our History
The Fund was created in March, 2009 following the tragic loss to suicide of Jesse Klump, a promising Snow Hill High School senior.
“I wanted to do something Jesse would approve of”, his mother Kim Klump said. The community responded with an outpouring of love and compassion and it became obvious that the original mission, providing scholarship aid to young people who, like Jesse, had demonstrated a passion for service and altruism, had struck a common chord.
By 2011, the mission had expanded to fill an unmet need in our Maryland Eastern Shore communities: a youth suicide prevention outreach and education program. Our main focus is still preventing youth suicide, by teaching young people skills to cope with modern stress (such as bullying, peer pressure, grade pressure). In the years since 2009 we have found ourselves addressing suicide across all demographics.
2011 was also the first year that Kim Klump, Jesse's Mom, President and a founding Board Member, launched a monthly post-suicide grievers' support group. Hundreds of people have met others struggling with the same in the meetings, and have found ways to be at peace with their loss. In 2024 this work was strengthened by the creation of a Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors (LOSS) Team which reaches those left behind promptly and with compassion.
Our passion to work with the youth of our community has continued through the years as we have offered school-based education and support from the beginning. We also support a therapeutic summer camp to help youth manage their emotions and learn valuable social skills.