New Path Youth & Family Services and the City of Barrie today raised the Bell Let’s Talk flag at Barrie City Hall in support of the 10th annual Bell Let’s Talk Day. By raising the flag, Barrie joins the world’s largest conversation about mental health, encouraging community members to join in to help create positive change for Canadians living with mental illness.
His worship Mayor Jeff Lehman was joined by Elizabeth McKeeman, CEO New Path Youth & Family Services, and representatives from Seasons Centre for Grieving Children and Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre at the flag raising, to promote mental health within the community and to help make a difference in the lives of people living with mental illness in Barrie.
“This is an incredible opportunity to continue to raise awareness for mental health,” says Ms. McKeeman. “Mental health affects us all. Giving community organizations and individuals a platform to continue these often difficult conversations makes such a huge difference for those affected by a mental illness.”
The City of Barrie joined more than 90 communities around Canada who are raising the Bell Let’s Talk flag to show support of mental health in their communities.
“Mental health is one of the biggest issues affecting our community, and Bell Let’s Talk Day gives us an opportunity to bring it into the light. My hope is that we keep the conversations going all year long and continue to break down the stigma that prevents people from seeking treatment, as well as champion new mental health resources for our community,” says Mayor Jeff Lehman.
“We extend our warmest thanks to Bell Let’s Talk as well as the local community organizations working to help those affected by a mental illness,” says Jim Harris, Councillor Ward 8. “We came together to raise this flag in order continue to encourage conversations and actions to show our support for mental health.”
Join in on Bell Let’s Talk Day
New Path and the City of Barrie invite all local citizens to join the conversation and help create positive change on Bell Let’s Talk Day by sending messages of support across multiple platforms to drive awareness and action in mental health.
Bell will donate 5 cents to Canadian mental health programs for each of the following communications today, at no extra cost to participants beyond what they would normally pay their service provider for online or phone access:
- Talk: Every mobile and every long distance call made by Bell wireless and phone customers
- Text: Every text message sent by Bell wireless customers
- Twitter: Every tweet and retweet using #BellLetsTalk and Bell Let’s Talk Day video view at Twitter.com/Bell_LetsTalk
- Facebook: Every Bell Let’s Talk Day video view at Facebook.com/BellLetsTalk and every use of the Bell Let’s Talk frame
- Instagram: Every Bell Let’s Talk Day video view at Instagram.com/Bell_letstalk
- Snapchat: Every use of the Bell Let’s Talk filter and every Bell Let’s Talk video view
- YouTube: Every Bell Let’s Talk Day video view at YouTube.com/Bell Canada