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Photo Credit: Stefania Galluccio @mystoo
891 - 10/23/2020 6:53:10 AM  

County of Wellington & Canadian Mental Health Assoc. of Waterloo-Wellington Launch Messages4Hope Campaign
 

For Immediate Release - October 20, 2020

For the past two years, the County of Wellington and the Canadian Mental Health Association of Waterloo-Wellington (CMHAWW) have worked together to bring hope, awareness and resources to the community through the Here4Hope project. Here4Hope, focuses on life promotion and suicide prevention in Wellington County.

The Messages4Hope campaign is an extension of the County and CMHAWW’s annual Here4Hope project. Every year, Here4Hope brings the community together for an awareness event. This year, the Messages4Hope campaign will allow the entire community to connect to each other.

Messages4Hope launched October 19 and run for ten days until October 28. The campaign will highlight the importance of meaningful connection to each other and encourage and facilitate members of the community to reach out to each other with compassionate messages that foster hope.

“For the past 2 years, our Here4Hope campaign has been an in-person, live event. This year, with COVID-19, we have had to get a little creative,” said Cecilia-Marie Roberts, Suicide Prevention Project Lead for CMHAWW. “During these difficult times, we think it is appropriate to focus on connection and a sense of belonging.”

The Here4Hope Committee came up with an idea to send 10,000 messages of hope all over the community. How will we do this? By asking residents to mail one of our thoughtful post cards to someone they care about. Traditional post cards will be available in the October 23 edition of the Wellington Advertiser, and will also available at all Wellington County libraries from October 19-23. Residents can also participate by sending a virtual post cards via www.messages4hope.ca, or by sharing a message of hope on social media using the hashtag #messages4hope.

Children in Wellington County Child Care Centres will be colouring post cards which will be sent home to be mailed to someone special. Elementary and Secondary school students will colour and write messages of hope to frontline and essential workers which will be delivered during the 10-day campaign. There will also be some very special video messages of hope from residents of Wellington Terrace Long Term Care Home shared on social media.

“Connected and caring communities keep people well. Research shows that if you feel like you belong are valued and accepted you are less likely to suffer from poor health,” said Roberts. “Connections to others and the strength of those relationships are also a protective factor for suicide. They enhance an individual’s sense of purpose and that can be helpful in times of great distress.”

The goal on the Messages4Hope campaign is for 10,000 post cards or messages to be shared all over Wellington County and beyond.

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