OTTAWA – Bell Canada and the True Patriot Love Foundation today announced the launch of the Bell True Patriot Love Fund, a $1 million program to support community mental health initiatives for Canadian military families.
Starting this year and through 2016, the Bell True Patriot Love Fund will distribute $250,000 annually in grants of $5,000 to $25,000. It will support programs delivered through military family resource centres (MFRCs) that focus on improving access to mental health care on Canadian Forces Bases across the country. Bell and True Patriot Love are sharing the cost of the $1 million program equally.
“I salute the collaboration and support of Bell and True Patriot Love in bringing mental health and mental illness to the attention of Canadians,” said the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, in a release. “The Canadian Armed Forces are proud participants in Bell Let’s Talk Day and share in the goal of ending the stigma surrounding mental illness."
“Bell Let’s Talk is proud to partner with True Patriot Love in supporting members of the Canadian military and their families with this specialized program,” said George Cope, president and CEO of Bell and BCE. “We all acknowledge the unique pressures and demands faced by military families, and the fund will help ensure access to mental health support for those who need it, as close to home as possible.”
“True Patriot Love is grateful for the leading role Bell has played in working to establish a funding mechanism to support mental health care for the Canadian Armed Forces community,” said Bronwen Evans, co-founder and managing director of True Patriot Love. “Together we are committed to seeing positive change for those Canadians who dedicate so much of their lives to their country.”
The call for funding applications runs from today through to June 28, 2013, and is open to all MFRCs across Canada working in partnership with local mental health groups. The True Patriot Love Foundation will manage and administer all aspects of the fund.
Over the past three years, True Patriot Love has raised more than $14 million for a variety of military programs, charities and causes that focus on providing family health and support, physical health and rehabilitation, and mental health and well-being.
