![Young man standing atop mountain](https://images.ctfassets.net/tfxr30ndr1hr/21KeSVUtXgPd6e7AQm4Wcu/8e9ac62c26106e137d0a36604637514d/Dan_s_Legacy-4-3.jpg?fm=webp&w=1200&q=80)
Reconciliation
Providing youth mental health and addictions support during COVID-19
Jun 22, 2020
During COVID-19, mental health support has been a key area of need, especially for at-risk youth who are hungry, often homeless, and with few connections to community support. Dan’s Legacy, an organization that provides counselling and life-skills programs for youth affected by mental health and addictions issues, have made it their mission to continue to support the community during this difficult time. Over the past four years, Dan’s Legacy has helped more than 300 youth meet their educational, housing and recovery goals in the Metro Vancouver area.
Through an $18,000 grant, we have helped support Dan’s Legacy and their counsellors provide a land-based therapy program for Indigenous youth, inserting funding into areas that most need it. Through this grant, they are also able to ensure that vulnerable populations within the community receive the mental health support and resources they need to stay safe and healthy during the COVID-19 crisis.
“The TELUS Friendly Future Foundation has been a great friend to Dan’s Legacy over the past few years, and we’re grateful for their continued support,” says Barbara Coates, Dan’s Legacy’s executive director. “Because we partner with other community organizations who match our counselling costs, the value of this grant doubles, helping us provide critical counselling and wrap-around support to at-risk youth.”
The grants we provide are crucial to enable support for communities in need, especially those that are in a vulnerable state. We are proud to partner with organizations like Dan’s Legacy to provide support and funding to increase mental health services in our communities.