MAY 12, 2020
The TELUS Friendly Future Foundation recently provided a grant of $18,000 to Dan’s Legacy to support the charity’s response to the COVID-19 public health crisis. The funds will go towards Dan’s Legacy’s trauma and culturally informed counselling programs for at-risk youth in Metro Vancouver.
“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 more than 35 at-risk youth.”
“In these unprecedented times, the value that our charitable sector provides our communities is more evident than ever. As charities across the country work to rapidly pivot their programs, these funds from the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation and the TELUS Vancouver Community Board are crucial to enable delivery of resources to those who need it most,” said Curtis Rowe, Senior Manager of Community Investment at TELUS. “TELUS Community Boards have empowered local community leaders who know the needs in their communities best with the power to make funding decisions that will have the greatest impact on the lives of their neighbours, and we are proud to again support vital community work during this crisis.”
Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, Dan’s Legacy’s counsellors have seen an over 50% increase in hospitalizations for anxiety, psychosis, and suicide attempts with their youth clients. These young people have grown up primarily in foster care or group homes, and have multiple barriers accessing health authority mental health programs. As many of the youth are homeless, they are particularly vulnerable to opportunistic diseases such as COVID-19.
Dan’s Legacy’s team of therapists are front-line health care workers who continue to provide counselling sessions for their clients, going directly to the youth wherever they are, ensuring they get critical mental health support. The grant from the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation was originally earmarked for Dan’s Legacy’s land-based therapy wrap-around program for Indigenous youth, but with this program on temporary hold due to the coronavirus situation, the Foundation has removed all restrictions on the grant, encouraging its use where most needed.
If you or someone you know is asking for help, contact Dan’s Legacy’s Program Director Tom Littlewood at [email protected] or 604-999-9136.
About Dan’s Legacy
Dan’s Legacy provides trauma-informed and culturally sensitive counselling and wrap- around programming to youth affected by mental health and addictions issues. In the past four years Dan’s Legacy has helped over 300 youth meet their educational, housing and life goals.
About TELUS Friendly Future Foundation
The TELUS Friendly Future Foundation is helping to build brighter futures for youth and those who need it most by enhancing public health initiatives through charitable health and technology programs. When we help communities reach their full potential, we’re all connected for good.