Red Cross mental health program expansion thanks to Bell Let's Talk Day funding
Some of the funds raised through Bell Let's Talk Day will go toward expanding a Red Cross mental health program in western Canada, particularly in Indigenous communities.
The Friendly Calls program pairs a caller with someone to talk to, whether they need to be connected to mental health resources or just a sympathetic ear.
"There's a lot of isolation that's happening these days, and a lot of loneliness," said Shelley Cardinal, national director of Indigenous relations for the Canadian Red Cross.
The Red Cross said the program has been in high demand during the pandemic, with many Indigenous communities requesting it in their area.
"People are asking for somebody that they can talk to when they're having a day of struggles. Someone that they can talk to when they're feeling isolated that day, someone that they can talk to when they need an ear for the story at hand," said Cardinal.
The Friendly Calls program has been active for five years, but Cardinal says it was more active in central and eastern Canada. The new funding from Bell Let's Talk Day will allow the Red Cross to expand the program in western Canada.
The goal of the Friendly Calls program is to provide a spectrum of mental health support in real time to people in western Canada.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Kerry McAthey
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.