MONTREAL — Bell’s 10th annual mental health awareness and funding campaign, Bell Let’s Talk Day, is happening January 29 and this year’s theme is “Mental Health: Every Action Counts”.
Bell’s nationwide multimedia campaign will feature special mental health programming in English and French across its TV, radio and digital properties. Production is also underway on a primetime CTV Bell Let’s Talk Day feature for January 29, to cap off a full day of programming as Bell Media keeps Canadians up to date on the mental health conversation.
Bell Let’s Talk will also be announcing new funding initiatives with more partner organizations, as well as the launch of the 2020 Bell Let’s Talk Community Fund. The annual program provides grants up to $25,000 for local and grassroots mental health initiatives, and has supported 657 organizations in every province and territory since the launch of the fund in 2011.
“I look forward to joining with Canadians and people around the world as we celebrate the 10th annual Bell Let’s Talk Day and talk about the actions big and small we can all take to drive positive change in mental health,” said Mirko Bibic, the newly appointed president and CEO of Bell, in the news release. “2020 promises to be another year of progress in Canadian mental health, the first in a new decade of heightened awareness of the impact of mental illness and of the opportunities to make a real and enduring difference.”
Suggested ways to take action to support people living with mental illness include: setting up one-stop shops for young people to access mental health, wellness and social services; organizing communities or teams to advocate for better access to care; supporting someone who struggles with kind gestures and other support; advocating for a family member; making your voice heard on social media; or even just taking the time to care for one’s own mental health.
“Canada has come a long way over the last decade in de-stigmatizing mental illness and increasing awareness of how it affects all of us,” said Mary Deacon, chair of Bell Let’s Talk, in the news release. “We can build on our progress by focusing on the real-world actions we can all take to support mental health in our communities, schools and workplaces. We can learn from trailblazers and from each other about how to make a difference, as individuals or in groups, for others or for our own mental health.”
On January 29, at no cost to participants beyond what they would normally pay their service providers for online or phone access, Bell will donate 5 cents to Canadian mental health programs for each of the following interactions on Bell Let’s Talk Day:
- 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, featuring the special Bell Let’s Talk emoji, and every Bell Let’s Talk Day video view at com/Bell_LetsTalk
- Facebook: Every Bell Let’s Talk Day video view at com/BellLetsTalkand every use of the Bell Let’s Talk frame
- Instagram: Every Bell Let’s Talk Day video view at com/Bell_LetsTalk
- Snapchat: Every use of the Bell Let’s Talk filter and every Bell Let’s Talk Day video view
- YouTube: Every Bell Let’s Talk Day video view at com/BellCanada
Since the first Bell Let’s Talk Day in 2011, Canadians and people around the world have sent a total of more than 1 billion messages of support for mental health, bringing Bell’s total commitment to $100,695,763.75, which includes the company’s original $50 million anchor donation when Bell Let’s Talk launched in 2010.
To learn more, visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.
