Bell Let’s Talk expands support for Indigenous-led mental health programming in Manitoba

• $260,000 in new mental health funding for Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre and nine other community partners across Manitoba and Western Canada
• 15th annual Bell Let’s Talk Day on January 22, 2025, to prioritize Canada’s youth mental health crisis, featuring a new text-to-donate campaign in support of six organizations

WINNIPEG, January 15, 2025 – Bell Let’s Talk today announced $260,000 in new mental health support for Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre and nine other community partners across Manitoba and Western Canada.

A Bell Let’s Talk Diversity Fund (opens in new window)  donation of $100,000 to Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre will support the Sacred Connections: Pathways for Wellness program, an Indigenous-led initiative offering trauma-informed spaces for healing and cultural connection through traditional teachings and land-based activities. Participants will have access to mental health services tailored to their unique needs that incorporate ceremony and mentorship to build leadership skills and self-confidence. The program also facilitates intergenerational healing by reconnecting families through shared cultural experiences and community-building, promoting holistic wellness, reducing stigma, and fostering a sense of belonging and identity for participants.

In addition, $160,000 of Bell Let’s Talk Community Fund (opens in new window)  donations have been received by nine organizations improving mental health outcomes for communities in Manitoba and Western Canada. Survivor’s Hope Crisis Centre, Pembina Hills Arts Council, Metis Child, Family and Community Services, Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba Inc. (IRCOM), Graffiti Art Programming Inc., uTurn Project Inc., George Spady Society, Take A Hike Youth Mental Health Foundation, and Communitas Supportive Care Society have been selected for grants that increase access to mental health programs in communities across Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia.

“Bell Let’s Talk is proud to continue building on our 15-year commitment to improving access to mental health services across Canada. Through partnerships with recognized community organizations like Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre and this year’s nine other community partners in Manitoba and Western Canada, youth and families living with mental health challenges now have greater access to culturally informed, compassionate supports close to home and when they need them the most.”

– Mary Deacon, Chair of Bell Let’s Talk

“We are deeply grateful to Bell Let’s Talk for their continued support of our work to provide community-based supports for Indigenous youth and adults across Manitoba. This funding will enable us to expand our Sacred Connections program in Winnipeg, empowering individuals to heal and thrive with strengthened connection to Indigenous ways of knowing and being to improve their mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being now and for generations to come.”

– Tammy Christensen, Executive Director, Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre

In 2017, Bell Let’s Talk and Unifor announced a $200,000 joint donation (opens in new window)  to Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre and the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Manitoba and Winnipeg to support the launch of the Strengthening Wellness Education to Love Life (SWELL) program. For 23 years, Bell MTS has also joined forces with Ma Mawi to pack and deliver holiday food hampers to 200 Indigenous families across Winnipeg every December.

This year, Bell will give $10 million towards mental health supports and services in Canada, including in Manitoba and Western Canada, bringing its total Bell Let’s Talk investment to $184 million since launching in 2010.

Bell Let’s Talk Day on January 22 to prioritize youth mental health crisis
Bell Let’s Talk Day kicks off its 15th year of action and change on January 22 by putting the spotlight on the growing youth mental health crisis.

A first for Bell Let’s Talk, Canadians are encouraged on January 22 to support youth mental health providers by participating in a national text-to-donate campaign.

On Bell Let’s Talk Day, Canadians can donate $5 by text with 100% of the proceeds going to six youth mental health organizations: Integrated Youth Services (opens in new window) , Jack.org (opens in new window) , Kids Help Phone (opens in new window) , National Association of Friendship Centres (opens in new window) , Strongest Families Institute (opens in new window) , and Youth In Mind (opens in new window)  Foundation (opens in new window) .

Canadians can double their impact as Bell will match all $5 donations up to a total of $1 million.

This year, Canada’s annual day for mental health highlights the progress that has been made and discusses what still needs to be done to support those with mental health challenges, including Canada’s youth who are facing a growing mental health crisis.

Visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk (opens in new window)  to download the Bell Let’s Talk toolkit and Conversation Guides and share your own actions using #BellLetsTalk.

About Bell Let’s Talk
The largest-ever corporate commitment to mental health in Canada, Bell Let’s Talk has a vision of a Canada where everyone can get the mental health support they need to flourish – and is a driver of Bell for Better. Since its launch in 2010, Bell Let’s Talk has partnered with more than 1,500  organizations providing mental health services throughout Canada, including hospitals, universities, local community service providers and other care and research organizations. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk (opens in new window) .

About Ma Mawi
Established in 1984, Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata  (opens in new window) is a Grandmother in the Winnipeg family of community service-providers with over 40 years of experience working with Indigenous families. We are community people helping other community people reclaim Indigenous people’s inherent roles and responsibilities as caregivers and the most important teachers of our children. Today Ma Mawi has over 50 programs, 19 sites, and over 200 staff and volunteers. Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata translates from Anishinaabemowin to, “we all work together to help one another.”

Media Inquiries:

Morgan Shipley
Bell Let’s Talk
media@bell.ca (opens in new window)
@Bell_LetsTalk (opens in new window)

Rosalyn Boucha
Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre
communications@mamawi.com (opens in new window)

NT5