Pathstone Mental Health has gotten over $31,000 to continue the work with supporting youth mental health in the region, thanks to 15 young individuals from the Niagara area who wanted to volunteer for the cause.
Through drumming up support and donations in the third annual Fill the Pig-event, the Pathstone Youth Champions talked about their own mental health struggles and the message of how important it is to support mental health initiatives, the campaign was able to gain real traction, also thanks to the Meridian Credit Union, said the organization.
"Our Youth Champions helped us expand our reach even further with their personal campaigns in support of children’s mental health," said Pathstone director of Philantrophy and PR at Pathstone.
"Kids helping other kids, no matter the cause is really, what this effort is all about. To be able to teach young people about philanthropy and the power of giving back, not to mention how good it feels should really be a community campaign in itself."
Normally, the event would kick off and finish at a Niagara Ice Dogs game that can't be held right now due to the pandemic.
That, however, did not stop the campaign from being visible - even as one of the youngest volunteers went to the bank to deposit her donations.
Pathstone said Aberdeen Smith, age 8, was just about to hand in her $2,157 when a man doing his banking asked her what the money was for.
When she told him, she was fundraising for Pathstone; he said to her, “We need more kids like you.”
He then said to the teller, “I will match the amount she has raised, and take it out of my account.”
And with that, Aberdeen had raised $4,288, said Pathstone.
All the funds raised though the campaign will support the Immediate Services Program, which is a mental health support program with no wait time.
