Hauppauge's Austin Williams Partners With Christopher A. Coluccio Foundation

HAUPPAUGE, NY — Hauppauge advertising agency Austin Williams has partnered with the Christopher A. Coluccio (CAC) Foundation, a suicide prevention nonprofit, to create three videos provided on a pro bono basis, Austin Williams announced.

The Christopher A. Coluccio Foundation was created in October 2021 by Christopher Coluccio of Bayport-Blue Point after his son, Christopher, died by suicide earlier that year. The foundation’s mission is to celebrate and memorialize Christopher’s spirit, serve and educate the local community, and open lines of communication between parents and their children about mental health, depression, and suicide.

"We are so moved by Christopher’s story and wanted to create something that displays the mission of the Christopher A. Coluccio Foundation," said Rick Chiorando, CEO at Austin Williams, in a news release. "Teen suicides are rising at an alarming rate across Long Island. We created these videos to educate and raise awareness about this growing crisis, hoping to make a difference and save lives by addressing underlying mental health issues."

The series, "What Did I Miss?," gathers residents across Long Island who have one thing in common: They each lost a family member to suicide. With the help of video production company, SpotOn Productions, the videos show family members gathering for a sit down conversation to discuss their personal stories, along with signs that they may have missed that their loved one was struggling with their mental health.

"Since the passing of our son, Christopher, in 2021, the goal of the CAC Foundation has been to change the conversation and reduce the stigma surrounding youth suicide and mental health," said Christopher Coluccio, CEO and co-founder of the Christopher A. Coluccio Foundation. "We hope that these videos reach those who may be struggling, have lost a child, or are worried about their child's well-being and helps them realize they are not alone. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the families for their courage and the amazing teams at Austin Williams and SpotOn Productions for enabling us to share their stories."

To learn more about the Christopher A. Coluccio Foundation or to donate, you can visit its website.