A new organization to help victims of an age-old problem is being created in Vincennes.

Tina and Fred Bangerter are starting Allies Against Bullying, inspired by their granddaughter’s battle with harassment in middle school. Tina says it nearly drove her granddaughter to suicide before intervention from a school counselor helped her find support.

The Bangerters say they want to fill a gap locally by offering direct help to those suffering from the effects of bullying. With programs tailored to different age groups, they hope to create safe spaces, build support systems, and raise awareness about the long-term toll bullying can take.

Fred Bangerter says the mission isn’t about trying to eliminate bullying altogether but about helping those who feel isolated and hopeless because of it.

“You’re not going to stop bullying. It’s not going to happen. It’s part of human nature. And when people realize that, they’re disappointed. So what we want to do is address the children and even adults that are being bullied and have low self-esteem, low self-worth, feeling like they can’t survive and they think that taking their own life is the only answer. We want to stop that from happening, and we can do that.”

Allies Against Bullying will hold its kickoff event on Saturday, September 27, at 10 a.m. at The Pantheon on Main in Vincennes. More information can be found at alliesagainstbullying.org.

Click play to hear our interview with Tina and Fred…