Major donation by TD will help
launch Kelowna's first ever mental health and addictions
drop-in program for South Asian community
KELOWNA, BC, Jan. 25, 2022 /CNW/ - At a time when people are
experiencing periods of loneliness and isolation, The Okanagan Sikh
Temple and Cultural Society has received a $40,000 donation from TD Bank Group to help
launch a new mental health and addictions recovery support program
for South Asian people living in the Okanagan.
"Our community is not immune to the societal issues that many
British Columbians are facing, including the opioid crisis and
mental health challenges," said Amarjit
Singh Lalli, President, The Okanagan Sikh Temple and
Cultural Society. "We want South Asian people who may be struggling
to be able to seek help and access available resources that are
both language-specific and culturally safe."
The program will provide drop-in sessions for people who
identify as South Asian and are seeking help fighting mental health
challenges associated with addiction. The initiative comes at a
critical time following a Fraser Health study that suggested South
Asian people "may be more likely to die from an overdose than
non-South Asian people." The same report found that there were low
engagement rates with substance use treatment among South Asian
men.
"There has certainly been a history of stigma around substance
abuse, however, the conversation within the South Asian community
is changing," said Vik Bains who is
the Branch Manager of TD in Rutland. "Whether in our branch or out in the
community, I am talking to people who are increasingly opening up
about their own personal struggles or are expressing concern over
loved ones."
"I believe people in our community do not want to be suffering
in silence any longer," Bains said.
The funding will also go toward helping to improve communication
between parents and children around drug use and gang-culture.
Work is already underway by The Okanagan Sikh Temple and
Cultural Society to recruit multiple experienced counsellors who
can speak Punjabi and English to lead the drop-in sessions. The
sessions will be held either virtually or on-site, dependent on
pandemic restrictions.
"This funding will enable us to reach as many community members
as possible during such a challenging time for everyone," Lalli
said. "And, so long as the need exists, we are committed to keeping
this conversation going while continuing to extend a compassionate
hand."
About The Okanagan Sikh Temple and Cultural Society
The Okanagan Sikh Temple and Cultural Society was incorporated
in November of 1979 with 34 Sikh families in the area. The first
Sikh temple in Kelowna opened in
1982, and to meet the needs of the city's growing Sikh population,
a new facility was built and opened in 2008. For more information,
visit www.kelownasikhtemple.ca/
About TD Bank Group
The Toronto-Dominion Bank and its subsidiaries are collectively
known as TD Bank Group ("TD" or the "Bank"). TD is the fifth
largest bank in North America by
assets and serves more than 26 million customers in three key
businesses operating in a number of locations in financial centres
around the globe: Canadian Retail, including TD Canada Trust, TD
Auto Finance Canada, TD Wealth (Canada), TD Direct Investing, and TD
Insurance; U.S. Retail, including TD Bank, America's Most
Convenient Bank®, TD Auto Finance U.S., TD Wealth (U.S.), and an
investment in The Charles Schwab Corporation; and Wholesale
Banking, including TD Securities. TD also ranks among the world's
leading online financial services firms, with more than 15 million
active online and mobile customers. TD had CDN$1.7 trillion in assets on October 31, 2021. The Toronto-Dominion Bank
trades under the symbol "TD" on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges.
SOURCE TD Bank Group