A simple request for pocket change has resulted in four donations totaling $60,000 for mental health programs.
A Dollar A Day Foundation was launched in February this year with the goal to close the gap between the availability of mental health and addictions programs and the growing need for them.
The foundation was founded by Brendan Paddick, Alan Doyle, and Dr. Andrew Furey.
Individuals can sign up to give a dollar a day to the foundation either monthly, quarterly or annually.
On Friday, the founders gathered at Thrive CYN in St. John’s to announce the foundation’s first gifts in support of frontline programs.
Gifts of $15,000 each were given to organizations in four regions of Canada.
Recipients were Thrive CYN in this province, the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s HEADSTRONG program in Alberta, the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Living Life to the Full program in Ontario and the Salvation Army’s Harbour Light program in British Columbia.
“Because so many like-minded people have decided to join us and give a dollar a day, we are able to have a larger collective impact on four fantastic programs that are doing great work in four regions of Canada,” Furey was quoted saying in a news release.
Executive Director Angela Crockwell accepted the donation to Thrive CYN from the foundation. “We are very grateful to be one of the Charter Causes that A Dollar A Day Foundation has selected for their initial funding,” she was quoted saying in the release.
“Our Street Reach program is facing greater needs than ever before, and this donation will help us meet those needs for young people in our community who turn to us for support.”
