BY DANIELLE OBAL
The Lucas Fiorella Friendship Bench is a Canadian-registered not-for-profit foundation that raises awareness about mental health by installing permanent bright yellow benches on school campuses.
Lucas Fiorella was a student, just like any one of us. He was a silent sufferer of depression and took his own life in Oct. 2014, but left a mark on friends and classmates by reaching out to those suffering with just a simple “hello.”
His father, Sam Fiorella, found a way to continue Lucas’s selfless acts of goodwill by starting the yellow bench movement. The benches are painted bright yellow to draw the attention of students walking by and to encourage student-to-student conversation. They’re missing one arm for easy accessibility, creating an inclusive environment for everyone.
Sup? Sheridan host Stephanie Alba sat down with Sam Fiorella to talk more about The Friendship Bench.