Celebrities Cooking Up Comfort This Thanksgiving

NEW YORK, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Actors Glenn Close, Marcia Gay Harden and Joe Pantoliano, comedian Joan Rivers, singer/songwriter James Taylor, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Food Network chef, Melissa d'Arabian, winner of last season's The Next Food Network Star, are sharing their culinary skills to help comfort those bereaved by suicide loss this Thanksgiving. Each is sharing their favorite recipe as part of a promotional campaign for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's (www.afsp.org) National Survivors of Suicide Day program (November 21, 2009), a day of healing.

Recipes ranging from a delicious chocolate mousse from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to a scrumptious pumpkin-bread pudding from the winner of Celebrity Apprentice Joan Rivers, to an Italian-American Thanksgiving tradition from The Sopranos' Joe Pantoliano have been posted to the Foundation's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/afspnational).

After viewing the tasty choices, Facebook users and fans will vote for their favorite dish and check back to see which one rises to the top. Celebrity participants will also encourage their fans via Facebook and Twitter to go to the page and vote for their dish. The winner of the Celebrity Thanksgiving Comfort Food Challenge will be announced on November 20, 2009.

"Although it's a myth that suicide occurs more frequently during the holiday season, it's certainly true that this time of year can be especially hard for those of us left behind," said Joanne Harpel, AFSP's Director of Survivor Initiatives. "National Survivors of Suicide Day is designed to help survivors sort through the difficult emotions they may be experiencing. We hope that having celebrities participating in this Challenge, many who have been personally affected by suicide loss, will bring comfort to many this holiday season."

National Survivors of Suicide Day takes place every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving in more than 200 cities throughout the U.S. and around the world. It was created 11 years ago by U.S. Senate Resolution. For more information please visit www.afsp.org/survivorday and to vote for a celebrity recipe go to www.facebook.com/afspnational.

About the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention:

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is the leading national not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide through research, education and advocacy as well as to reaching out to people with mood disorders and those affected by suicide. For more information visit www.afsp.org.