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AMERICAN IDOL Alum: ‘God Called Me To Start My Own Nonprofit’ To Prevent Suicide

Photo from Franki Moscato’s Instagram

AMERICAN IDOL Alum: ‘God Called Me To Start My Own Nonprofit’ To Prevent Suicide

By Movieguide® Staff

Former AMERICAN IDOL contestant Franki Moscato says that God called her to start a nonprofit to help save and protect children from suicide. 

Moscato decided to launch the Franki Moscato Foundation in 2019. 

“God called me to start my own nonprofit so I would be better suited to help save kids from the growing epidemic of teen suicide,” the 18-year-old singer said in a recent interview. 

“My parents always told me to focus on things that I can ‘control’ — and acting and storytelling have been something that I’ve done on stage and in front of the camera since a young age,” she said, adding that she experienced bullying. “My own success and the attention it brought me caused me to lose all of my friends and to twice leave schools.”

Moscato, best known for singing the National Anthem ahead of her home-state Green Bay Packers, said her faith helped her overcome her past run-ins with bullies. 

“My very first public anthem [performance] was for a local suicide awareness event in my community,” she told Fox News Digital. “I was only 11 at the time — and I remember staring into the eyes of the faces of children whose photos were taped to the gymnasium walls.” 

“It was very despairing, but the sadness somehow fueled my delivery to honor all of those faces,” she added. “My involvement [in the local suicide awareness program] escalated over the years. Eventually I spoke and performed moving songs of hope and faith for the families who mourned at this annual event.”

The Wisconsin native said that God gives her courage to fight to protect children from “hurting themselves.”

“With so many things going on and to worry about in this world, this one focus is on my shoulders and God chose me to tackle it,” she said. “I’m ready.” 

The Franki Moscato Foundation website reads

The Franki Moscato Foundation was created to fight the growing epidemic of teen suicide. In 2017, over 17% of high school students considered suicide, and 7.4% attempted it. And there are a plethora of “attempts” that families do not disclose.

Four out of five teens who attempt suicide have given clear warning signs. Suicides are preventable and there are measures that can be taken at different levels to prevent suicide and suicide attempts. This all requires education, tools, and influence. My foundation grants money to schools and organizations to afford to bring in the appropriate professionals to put into place a sustainable awareness and prevention program that includes students, parents, faculty, and broader communities.

 

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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.