- Grants for mental health programs supporting Black, Indigenous
and People of Colour (BIPOC) communities throughout Canada
- Diversity Fund provides $5.45
million in grants since 2020
MONTRÉAL, Jan. 17,
2024 /CNW/ - Bell Let's Talk today announced
$1,000,000 in new grants from the
Bell Let's Talk Diversity Fund to support 10 additional
organizations helping to create real change for members of Black,
Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) communities in Canada.
The Bell Let's Talk Diversity Fund supports organizations
working to reduce the stigma of mental illness and increase access
to culturally informed mental health and well-being support for
BIPOC communities. Since the launch of the Fund in 2020, 49
organizations from across the country have received grants.
Ten new organizations that deliver mental health services for
people in diverse communities around the country have been selected
to receive grants from the Diversity Fund.
"We are excited to announce our latest Bell Let's Talk Diversity
Fund recipients. These exceptional organizations are providing
essential supports and services in many diverse communities across
Canada. The grants will help the organizations make a difference
and create real change for people struggling with mental health
issues."
- Mary Deacon, Chair of Bell
Let's Talk
Here are the grant recipients:
- Café-Jeunesse Multiculturel
- Centre de justice des Premiers Peuples de Montréal / First
People justice center of Montréal
- Eva's Initiatives for Homeless Youth
- Fort Smith Métis Council
- Hong Fook Mental Health Association
- Mashkiwizii Manido Foundation
- Réseau d'intervention auprès des personnes ayant subi la
violence organisée (RIVO)
- Sagkeeng Child and Family Services Inc.
- Union of Nova Scotia Mi'kmaq
- Wolastoqey Tribal Council Inc.
"The lack of culturally sensitive and safe mental health
services for the underprivileged public, mainly made up of visible
minorities of immigrant origin, remains a constant concern for
Café-Jeunesse Multiculturel in its mission to serve young people
and their families in Montréal-North. The Bell Let's Talk Diversity
Fund grant will help establish a transcultural community mental
health clinic in Montréal-Nord, offering services adapted to
overcome the social, linguistic and cultural barriers to accessing
and engaging with mental health services."
- Williamson Lamarre, Director,
Café-Jeunesse Multiculturel
"Eva's Initiatives for Homeless Youth supports hundreds of young
people experiencing homelessness who face significant barriers to
accessing equitable mental health and wellness supports. This
amazing support from Bell Let's Talk will enable Eva's to embed
"Empowered Pathways", a holistic, culturally informed mental health
support framework that delivers counselling, resilience-building
workshops, and mental health literacy training for Black youth
experiencing homelessness. This support will help foster healthier
communities, endorse positive identity affirmation, and embrace
mental health awareness for the young people we serve."
- Louise Smith, Executive
Director, Eva's Initiatives for Homeless Youth
"The Bell Let's Talk Diversity Fund is essential to facilitate
the growth of our well-established Recovery College. As the only
language-specific Recovery College in Canada, Hong
Fook is expanding this coproduction model to the broader
Asian communities in the GTA. We express our gratitude for this
grant, which will ensure more individuals with mental health
challenges access culturally competent resources sooner, gain
better control over their lives, foster positive relationships, and
enhance their readiness for employment."
- Andrew Chung, Executive
Director, Hong Fook Mental Health Association
"Mashkiwizii Manido (Strong Spirit) Foundation focuses on
providing culturally specific services and programs developed,
implemented and delivered by Indigenous Peoples for Indigenous
Peoples and their families in the areas of mental health, addiction
and trauma support. Using the holistic model in the areas of
physical, mental, emotional and spiritual in connection to culture,
language, land and ceremony, our true healing and recovery can
occur. The support we are receiving from Bell Let's Talk will
enable us to walk alongside more individuals, families and
communities on their culturally safe, trauma informed journeys to
healing and recovery. Chi Miigwetch Bell Canada."
- Joanne Haskin ~Zoongdekwe~
Executive Director, Mashkiwizii Manido Foundation
"The Union of Nova Scotia Mi'kmaq is very grateful to receive a
Bell Let's Talk Diversity Fund grant to continue the important work
being done to increase health, wellness, and capacity in First
Nation Communities in our region. This funding will play a key role
in the support, development, and delivery of mental health and
cultural education workshops, sports and recreation programming,
and other initiatives that increase access and foster holistic
healing for the communities as a whole. Our organization is
committed to promoting the welfare and well-being of the Mi'kmaq of
Nova Scotia."
- Kara S. Paul, Director of
Health, Union of Nova Scotia Mi'kmaq
"Through the implementation of 'Sankewitahasuwakon' (Peaceful
Thoughts), we will be able to provide programming that supports the
intergenerational healing of Indian day school survivors and their
families in the Wolastoqey communities in New Brunswick. Survivors have often expressed
feeling forgotten in the conversation of Truth and Reconciliation,
though the premise of Indian day schools within communities was the
same as Indian residential schools. The time is now to hear their
experiences, acknowledge their pain and grief, and provide
culturally relevant and trauma informed support for
intergenerational healing. With the support of Bell Let's Talk, the
Wolastoqey Tribal Council Inc. will be able to host cultural events
and a gathering of survivors, working towards a final commemorative
piece to give proper acknowledgement to survivors.
Sankewitahasuwakon programming will be mental health-focused and
planned to foster a sense of safety and security, provide a sense
of community, and strengthen our beautiful Wolastoqey
identity."
- Megan Barnaby, Executive
Director, Wolastoqey Tribal Council Inc.
"Sagkeeng Child and Family Services is pleased to receive the
support of the Bell Let's Talk Diversity Fund. This grant will help
us provide additional mental health supports and services to
Sagkeeng First Nation members. The Bounce Back and Living Life to
the Full programs have been established in Manitoba by the Canadian Mental Health
Association (CMHA) since 2015. In partnership with CMHA, we are
making these programs more culturally appropriate for the community
we serve."
- Frank Daniels, Executive
Director, Sagkeeng Child and Family Services
"As an Indigenous Government, we are thrilled to receive a Bell
Let's Talk Diversity Fund grant. Following the evacuation of our
home and neighbouring communities in 2023, this grant will
contribute to the effort to encourage the mental health and
well-being of our Metis people and community as a whole, while also
striving for a culturally diverse community. Far too often, the
financial and systemic challenges faced by northern Indigenous
Governments go unnoticed. We commonly lack the resources and
capacity to meet the needs and demands of our population. It is
with a grateful heart that we acknowledge the support from the Bell
Let's Talk Diversity Fund. Together, it is our hope that a
meaningful and lasting impact can be made on mental health in
Canada's north."
- Allan Heron, President, Fort
Smith Métis Council
Quick Facts
- $5.45 million in grants since
2020
- 49 Diversity Fund recipients
To learn more about the Diversity Fund recipients, please visit
Bell.ca/LetsTalk.
Bell Let's Talk Day is January
24
On January 24 and every day
throughout the year, we can all take meaningful action to create
real change. Let's create real change asks everyone to play
a role and provides practical examples of ways to create change in
our homes, schools, workplaces and communities. Here are some
actions we can all take:
- Choose a mental health organization to learn about or
support
- Help a friend struggling with their mental health by
learning how to support them
- Ask about how your school, workplace or community is
creating change for mental health
- Nurture your own well-being by practicing and learning
mental health strategies
- Get involved in a mental health initiative or organize
an event to support mental health
- Engage in conversations about mental health to fight
stigma
Visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk for more ideas and share your
actions using #BellLetsTalk and help inspire others to join the
movement to create positive change.
About Bell Let's Talk
The largest-ever corporate commitment to mental health in
Canada, Bell Let's Talk is focused
on 4 key action pillars – Anti-stigma, Care and Access, Research
and Workplace Leadership – and is part of Bell for Better. Since
its launch in 2010, Bell Let's Talk has partnered with more than
1,500 organizations providing mental health services throughout
Canada, including hospitals, universities, local community service
providers and other care and research organizations. To learn more,
please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.
Media inquiries:
media@bell.ca
@Bell_LetsTalk
SOURCE Bell Canada