$100,000 for more mental health services for youth in the Québec City region

QUÉBEC CITY, Feb. 24, 2020 CNW/ - Québec City Mayor Régis Labeaume, and Mr. Jacques Goulet, President of Sun Life Canada, today announced the creation of a $100,000 mental health fund. 

Sun Life will invest $75,000 over three years and the City of Québec will donate $25,000. This investment stems from the commitment made last December by Mr. Jacques Goulet, who acted as honorary chair of the 9^th Québec City Mayor's Bal, which raises funds for the Fondation Jeunes en Tête.

The fund will be managed by the Fondation Jeunes en Tête and will help the foundation to intervene and invest in areas where the needs are most important:

1. Awareness through the foundation's junior high school program;
2. Early detection in schools;
3. Intervention to improve access to health care for adolescents in difficulty. 

"Psychological distress among young people is a major problem in our society," said Québec City mayor Régis Labeaume. "With this investment fund, Ville de Québec is going a step further to help teens who are struggling. We sincerely believe that every action can give vulnerable youth hope and make a real difference in their lives."

"The funding announced today will enable the Fondation Jeunes en Tête to strengthen its impact where the needs are most urgent. With intervention right from childhood, Sun Life is helping provide young people with the tools they need to develop resilience for decades to come. This is part of Sun Life's actions towards building sustainable and healthier communities, which reinforces our purpose to help people achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives," Mr. Goulet stated.

"The youth support ecosystem is alive and well in Québec; even so, it's important to mobilize and raise awareness to better align prevention, awareness and access to care efforts so that youth in distress no longer fall through the cracks," stated Catherine Burrows, Associate Executive Director with the Fondation Jeunes en Tête.

About Fondation Jeunes en Tête

Created from the merger between the Mental Illness Foundation and the Fondation Québec Jeunes, the Fondation Jeunes en Tête's mission is to prevent psychological distress in youth aged 11 to 18 in Québec. The Fondation accomplishes its mission by reaching out to teenagers in schools through its Partners for Life program, and by supporting recognized community organizations that complement its work. The Fondation also creates synergy among all youth advocates and stakeholders in order to maximize their joint impact on young people. To find out more about the Fondation and the Portrait of Youth Wellbeing, visit fondationjeunesentete.org/fr  and https://fondationjeunesentete.org/data/1-ensemble-du-quebec-definitif.pdf

Sun Life in the community

Sun Life is committed to building sustainable, healthier communities for life. Community wellness is an important part of its sustainability commitment. By actively supporting the communities in which Sun Life lives and works, the organisation can help build a positive environment for their Clients, Employees, advisors and shareholders. Its philanthropic support focuses on two key areas: health, with an emphasis on diabetes awareness, prevention and care initiatives through its Team Up Against Diabetes^TM platform; and arts and culture, through its award-winning Making the Arts More Accessible^TM program. Read more about Sun Life in the community.

Source:

Daphné Bédard

Communications Department 

Québec City

418-641-6210

daphne.bedard@ville.quebec.qc.ca

Jacynthe Alain

Sun Life

514-866-6474

jacynthe.alain@sunlife.com

Isabelle Hudon

Fondation Jeunes en Tête

514-529-1000, ext. 255

ihudon@fondationjeunesentete.org

SOURCE Sun Life Financial Canada