Rainbows Programs Receives Support from Medavie Health Foundation

5 ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVE OVER $100K IN FUNDING IN SUPPORT OF MENTAL
HEALTH INITIATIVES IN NEW BRUNSWICK
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 24, 2017

Moncton, NB – Five organizations providing mental health prevention and intervention services and supports for New Brunswickers are receiving funding from Medavie Health Foundation. The funding is provided through the Foundation’s 2017 Grants Program, which supports targeted programs aligned with child and youth mental health, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and type 2 diabetes.

• A $40,000 grant to Atlantic Wellness Community Center is helping fund Open Doors, a counselling program serving at-risk youth in southeastern New Brunswick by providing free and timely access to integrated mental health care services. This is the third year the Foundation has supported Open Doors, bringing our funding to $120,000.
• The Boys and Girls Club of Moncton is using a $15,000 grant to fund Reflexion, a program that provides children and youth with a variety of creative, therapeutic and artistic outlets to better express themselves. Program participants develop a healthier sense of self, mental resiliency and coping skills, with family members included in the process. This grant brings the Foundation’s support of the Club to $60,000.
• A $25,000 grant to Crossroads for Women will help fund a Sexual Assault Outreach Worker to support female victims of sexual assault, helping them and their families break the cycle of abuse and lessen the negative effects on the victim’s mental health. The position will also work to organize a volunteer Sexual Assault Response Team in South-Eastern New Brunswick.
• A $20,000 grant to Kids Help Phone is supporting BroTalk, focused on the mental and emotional health of young men, tackling issues such as stigma and gender stereotypes through content and direct connection to counselling services. This is the second year of funding for BroTalk, bringing our funding support to $40,000.
• Through its Rainbows program, the YMCA of Greater Saint John provides peer-support for children and youth dealing with death, divorce or other painful family transition or life-altering crisis in a safe and caring environment. A $5,000 grant is helping the Y provide the program free of charge in the region’s school system, making it easily accessible. The Foundation also supported Rainbows in 2016 with a $5,000 grant.

Since late 2011, the Foundation has committed over $10.7 million to single and multi-year grant and partnership programs, some of which have yet to be announced. Visit our website to learn more about all 23 organizations being funded through the 2017 Grants Program.

Quick Facts
• Children and youth in New Brunswick have the highest hospitalization rates for mental health problems and learning disorders that are double – or even triple – the national rate in some instances.
• Studies show that women who have experienced violence have significantly higher rates of substance use and mental health concerns, including depression and PTSD, compared to women who have not.

Quotes
“Through our grants program, we fund grass-roots initiatives that are making a real difference to Canadians on an individual and community level. These organizations support individuals and their families impacted by mental health in receiving the help they need, while building capacity in our communities. This aligns with our vision, that all Canadians, especially young Canadians, have access to the tools and supports they need to live their best lives.” – Patty Faith, Executive Director, Medavie Health Foundation

“This generous grant from Medavie Health Foundation will enable us to be more accessible to
the victims of sexual assault. The need is tremendous. Contributors like this make a world of
difference to the clients and community we serve.” – Tina Thibodeau, Executive Director, Crossroads for Women.

About Medavie Health Foundation
Medavie Health Foundation is funded by Medavie Blue Cross and Medavie Health Services as part of a long-term commitment to make a lasting impact in the communities where our employees and customers live and work. The Foundation supports and promotes innovative
and evidence-based solutions to address some of our country’s most pressing physical and
mental health care challenges, with a focus on child and youth mental health, post-traumatic
stress disorder, and type 2 diabetes. It aims to bring organizations and communities together
through collaborative multi-year partnerships and to support grassroots, community-based
initiatives through an annual grants program. For more information and to sign up for our enewsletter, visit us at medaviehealthfoundation.ca. As a not-for-profit company, Medavie is proud to commit an annual social dividend to the Medavie Health Foundation.

For more information
Joanne Elliott, Senior Advisor, Stakeholder Relations
Medavie Health Foundation
902-266-9287
joanne.elliott@medaviehealthfoundation.ca