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