Farmhouse sheds light on the importance of supporting suicide prevention through their philanthropy events

Students, faculty talk about mental health, Suicide Prevention Month

Suicide prevention is a special cause for the Troy University Farmhouse fraternity. In December of 2023, Farmhouse member Matthew Awbrey died by suicide, and his big was, at

the time, the philanthropy chair for the fraternity.

He changed the fraternity’s fundraising mission organization to the Alabama Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). AFSP provides support to those who are experiencing the grief of losing a loved one or want to understand how to help

someone at risk.

Almost three years after Awbrey’s death, Farmhouse continues to support suicide prevention. For Farmhouse’s assistant philanthropy chair, this fundraiser is personal to him.

“[Matthew’s big] changed it so we could support my brother and keep his life living on,” said Wade Awbrey, Matthew’s younger brother and a sophomore general business major from Opelika, Alabama.“We could also support people who struggle with

the same thing.”

While some of the newer brothers never had a chance to meet Matthew, the older brothers felt changing philanthropy made the most sense.

“We can give back more to that because we had just been hit really close with that,” said Farmhouse’s. Philanthropy Chair Zachary Geiger, a junior exercise physiology major

from Clanton, Alabama.

“A lot of the guys who are seniors here pledged with Matthew Awbrey. “It is close with them, and it feels a lot more at home with suicide prevention.”

Wade was in high school when his brother passed away, but he received support from his brother’s fraternity.

“It felt like I had a family in a whole other city,” Awbrey said. “They would bring me things, they would text me and I did not even know these

guys.”

Wade had decided to come to Troy before his brother’s death, but he was

not thinking about rushing a fraternity. However, when he decided to rush, he said Farmhouse was the only choice.

“I noticed how much respect they had for my brother and how much they were willing to put forward,” Awbrey said. “They dropped everything they were doing so they could help support my family.”

In the spring, Farmhouse holds a crawfish boil for its philanthropy event. In 2024, the fraternity raised over $30,000, and then in 2025, they raised over $21,000, all

for suicide prevention.

Farmhouse will hold an event this fall at the University of Louisiana-Monroe game on October 24.

“We have a fall philanthropy called Philanthro-Cakes,” Geiger said. “It’s where we get together as a brotherhood and make breakfast for people.

“It’s a good way to bring the community together. We sell tickets for that and all the money we raise through that goes to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.”

While it might be difficult to be vulnerable or find someone to talk to, Wade said there’s always someone willing to listen.

“One of the hardest things in life is having the courage to tell somebody you need help,” Awbrey said. “We all struggle with it.

“My biggest advice is to speak up.”

For those experiencing a severe mental health crisis, call the suicide prevention line at 988. If someone finds they need someone to talk to, call the Alabama warmline at 1-844-999-4647. For additional information on the AFSP, go to afsp.org.