Bell Let’s Talk has announced Community Fund grants for the Fort McMurray Public School District (FMPSD) and Unity Charity.
The money FMPSD is receiving will support the delivery of the FRIENDS program to schools within the district. FRIENDS is a group-based intervention program focused on promoting emotional resilience in battling anxiety and depression.
“We know that at the most fundamental level change takes place in communities, community organizations and schools have the ability to have a trans-formative impact in their own community,” said Mary Deacon, Bell Let’s Talk program chair. “Anyone gift isn’t going to change the world, but it can change a life.”
Unity Charity will use its $20,000 grant to support Northern Alberta First Nation Express Your Stress Arts Educational Program. A school-based program focused on anxiety, depression, awareness and stigma. The program will be in school and community spaces in Fort McMurray, Janvier, Anzac, Fort Chipewyan and Fort McKay.
Clara Hughes, Sean McCann and Mary Deacon were in our community to talk about their own struggles with mental health. Fort McMurray was the first stop of a six-city tour to help end the stigma associated with mental conditions.
“I still have periods of time where I fall back into my own mental health condition, which is depression and those times are not times when I can hide, I have to show that face as well,” said Clara Hughes, Bell Let’s Talk national spokesperson. “It has been a journey and one that I feel like has connected me to so many people.”
Mental health has always been a focus at FMPSD but now more than ever it is front and centre due to the wildfire.
A message all three from the Bell Let’s Talk team shared with the students was the fact that they are not alone and to ask for help.
“We are all worthy of love, that is what we are made of. We are made of more than bones and blood, we are made of love and music and fire,” said ambassador and singer/song writer, Sean McCann.
Bell Let’s Talk day is January 25th, Bell will donate 5 cents to Canadian mental health programs for every text or phone call made by Bell customers, for every tweet or Instagram post using #BellLetsTalk, every view of the Bell Let’s Talk Day video on Facebook and every use of the Bell Let’s Talk Snapchat geofilter.
