In May 2018, LFTC embodied the theme of Mental Health Awareness and Education, hosting a gala to fund the creation of a mental health educational outreach program for the youth in Montreal. The program, the Mindfulness & Emotion Regulation Workshop, is being piloted by the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, the beneficiary for the 2018 Gala. The first of its kind, this project aims to educate and provide tools to adolescents, allowing them to recognize early signs of mental illness and help them understand that they can create fulfilling lives for themselves. The gala was a very special event, which brought together incredible performers, influencers, and community members, who were all in some way connected to mental health. Our team raised $20,000 to fund the education program and was successful in educating, sensitizing, and raising awareness about important issues related to mental health.
In line with this year’s gala and mental health theme, our community engagement pillar was centered around mental health this year. Our team engaged the Montreal community through a week-long art exhibition and an online social media campaign. Art Exhibit: The art exposition took place at Le Livart, a contemporary art museum in the heart of Montreal, from May 23-26, 2018. The exhibit highlighted the work of renown Montreal artists whose art work express themes related to mental health, including Miss Me, Miss Cloudy, Mortart, Kevin Ledo, Vincenzo Defrancesco, Labrona, and Les Impatients. This exhibit, curated by one of our very own team members, with the help of our very dedicated volunteers, also contained mental health-related educational content assembled by McGill University Psychology Graduate Students. Social Media Campaign: The social media campaign, which was launched on LFTC’s social media outlets in Spring 2018, aimed to disprove common misconceptions about mental health through posts, videos, and testimonials. Collectively, these efforts engaged over 15,000 young Montrealers.
