Latest News

ON JANUARY 27TH CMHA WILL BE SLEEPING OUT!

Join us for our event 'Sleep Out So Others Can Sleep In' on January 27th from 7pm to 7am in Market Square un Belleville and for the first time in the North Hastings Hospital Parking Lot in Bancroft! Visit iamsleepingout.ca for more information on how you can help support this great event!

CANADIAN MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION, HASTINGS AND PRINCE EDWARD BRANCH RECEIVES A $30,000.00 GRANT FROM THE BELL LET’S TALK COMMUNITY FUND - Grant to support emerging youth and suicide prevention

Belleville, ON (October 5th, 2011) – Canadian Mental Health Association, Hastings and Prince Edward Branch today celebrated receiving $30,000.00 grant from Bell’s Let’s Talk Community Fund for mental health. The Bell Let’s Talk Community Fund is part of the Bell Mental Health Initiative, a $50 million multi-year national program in support of mental health. Through the Community Fund, Bell has provided grants of $5,000 to $50,000 to organizations, hospitals and agencies focused on improving access to mental health care and making a positive impact in their community from coast-to-coast-to-coast. Preference was given to capacity building projects aimed at creating or expanding programs that provide front-line support and/or reduce the stigma for those impacted by mental health issues. “CMHA is connecting supports throughout Hastings and Prince Edward to begin dialogues for support and the reduction of the stigma associated with mental illness. We want to ensure that everyone who is touched by this has a voice that is heard, and respected. With this funding from Bell, we will be able to provide training and support for emerging youth, and connect with local schools including Loyalist to support their work with the Jack Project”. Sandie Sidsworth, Executive Director of CMHA. We are very pleased to work with Bell on this initiative and are very proud to be one of the recipient agencies for this funding.” “We at Bell are extremely pleased to lend our support to the Canadian Mental Health Association, Hastings and Prince Edward Branch and the almost 50 other community organizations across the country that are part of the Bell Let’s Talk Community Fund’s first year,” said Mary Deacon, Chair of the Bell Mental Health Initiative. “These groups are truly making a difference at the grassroots level. We’re very proud that, through grants from our Community Fund, we will be helping them to provide much needed resources to enhance mental health services and programs for those affected by mental illness.”

Bell is proud to have launched the Bell Let’s Talk Community Fund, providing the opportunity for organizations, hospitals and agencies like yours across the country to apply for much needed funding in mental health. Part of the Bell Mental Health Initiative, the fund recognizes the need for increased access to mental health care. Our goal is to make a positive impact in communities from coast to coast to coast.


CANADIAN MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION, HASTINGS AND PRINCE EDWARD BRANCH TO RECEIVE
A $25,000 GRANT FROM THE HOME DEPOT CANADA FOUNDATION - Grant to support affordable housing project in Belleville, ON

On August 16th, 2011, representatives from The Home Depot Canada Foundation were with staff at t one of four transitional homes managed by Canadian Mental Health Association, Hastings and Prince Edward Branch and presented a $25,000 cheque to the agency as part of the Foundation’s Affordable Housing Grant Program. The funding is being used to replace the windows, doors and bathroom fixtures at two transitional homes to make them more energy efficient and as a result, more affordable to operate.

The Foundation’s Affordable Housing Grant Program was launched in 2009 as a way to support affordable housing projects that include environmentally-sustainable building techniques and/or materials. By the end of 2011, The Home Depot Canada Foundation will have distributed $925,000 in grants to 37 community organizations across Canada through this program.

Summer of 2011

It was a busy summer for staff and volunteers at CMHA – and as we move forward into fall it is only appropriate that we thank some people for their support.

On June 8^th, Lisa Thompson, Vice President, Portfolio Manager at RBC Dominion Securities Inc., presented a cheque to staff of CMHA on behalf of the RBC Foundation of $ 1,500.00.   We were able to use this funding to fund staff for a brand new initiative for supporting those dealing with homelessness in other partnering agencies as a successful pilot over the summer months.

CMHA, as well as Gleaners Food Bank and the Quinte Humane Society were pleased to accept a donation of $3,500.00 each from McDougall Insurance's anniversary celebration on July 22, 2011. The presentation to the three agencies took place on a sunny day in front of Century Place, along with a  BBQ lunch.  We thank everyone at McDougall Insurance for their generosity (and the great desserts!)

As well, on August 16^th, CMHA was the proud recipient of a Home Depot Grant and we are so pleased to be working with our local Home Depot and their Associates to update "Our House" with new energy efficient doors and windows; a new bathroom shower that will conserve water and new toilets in all the houses for energy efficiency. Further information and photo can be found in Housing News".

We want to acknowledge Maurice Rollins who has donated the proceeds of his book "The Remarkable Journey of Maurice Rollins" by Orland French. The book relates the life story of Mr. Rollins, who, while having remarkable successes, dealt with depression. The book is available for purchase from our office, VIQ , and the Chamber of Commerce, (Log Cabin). Special thanks as well to John and Mark Rollins for their gracious support during the book launch on June 15th at the Belleville Club. In addition, a huge thank you goes to Connie Reid of United Way who assisted in processing payments on launch night. On the following day, June 16th, CMHA were recipients of United Way's Day of Caring. Two teams – one from Reid's Dairy and the other from Community Living Belleville and Area, formerly known as Plainfield Community Homes assisted with painting two of our transitional homes. The support from community partners such as VIQ, the Chamber and United Way has been outstanding – thank you!

About us

The Canadian Mental Health Association, Hastings & Prince Edward Counties Branch, is a non-profit agency that strives to enhance the mental wellness and quality of life of people in our geographically diverse community.

Through our direct services, education, advocacy and consumer involvement, we work together to create an environment that supports mental well being.

We Believe

• All individuals have a right to freely choose and fully participate in all aspects of community life.
• Through consumer involvement, we create an environment that supports individual well being
• We have a responsibility to contribute to an environment conducive to mental wellness
• Each person is unique and valued as an individual in our community
• People have a right to receive services and support in their own community
• By building community support, we contribute to individual mental wellness and community well being
• The community must work collaboratively to meet the basic needs of its member