Mysterious signs with positive messages have been popping up all over Bristol, offering a stark contrast to the cluttered landscape of political signs on lawns everywhere.

“I’d love to take the credit,” laughed Kate Hawley, who chairs the Personal Health and Wellness working group for Bristol’s Health Equity Zone. “It was very much a group effort. Our working group has been looking into a lot of issues, from the impacts of bullying to suicide rates, to the need for more mental health intervention. Lots of great ideas rose to the top.”

According to Ms. Hawley, one of the ideas that seemed to have some legs was the “Don’t give up” signs. The campaign was launched by a woman named Amy Wolff with an idea to help combat depression, despair and suicide rates in her town of Newberg, Oregon. They were a huge hit.

Funded with a small portion of a $2,000 Roger Williams University civic activities grant (the bulk of which went to fund a mental health first aid training program), the group originally ordered 50 signs (a printing error netted them 60 in total, which the printer kindly let them keep.) Emblazoned with messages like “You are worthy of love,” “You are not alone,” and “It’s not too late,” the signs are simple and stark, black on white, with nothing getting in the way of their intent to serve as a vehicle for human connection in its simplest form.

Unveiled at September’s Rally4Recovery, all 60 signs were distributed to schools, businesses and homes in a matter of days. Residents of other towns requested signs, but as they were funded by a Bristol grant, organizers wanted to keep them in town. So some of those people responded by buying the signs, while others made donations. One anonymous donor recently made a $100 donation for the purchase of more signs.

While there is little hard data that demonstrates something as simple as a positive affirmation can impact depression and suicide, anecdotal evidence suggests they are having an impact. One person even told coordinators that the signs made her feel so good in her daily battle against depression, that she she has found herself driving around town looking for them. Ms. Wolff, the organizer of the original movement in Oregon, has dozens and dozens of testimonials from people who have been helped, cheered, and inspired by these messages of hope; you can see them on her website at www.dontgiveupsigns.com.

For more information on the Bristol Kindness Project, find them on Facebook.