Five Alberta-based Co-ops, including Cornerstone Co-op, have joined forces to raise thousands of dollars for the Mental Health Foundation of Alberta.
The Co-ops’ Communities in Mind initiative raised a combined total of $74,824.30 this year. All of the money raised will be used to support mental health in each Co-op’s respective trading area.
Jordyn Prior of Cornerstone Co-op says Cornerstone recognized the need for mental health support, and launched the fundraising project in 2020. The idea spread from there.
“In 2020 and 2021, it was just Cornerstone Co-op that was part of that initiative. We raised around $18,000 each year,” Prior said. “And then in 2022, we did a call out to a few other local Alberta Co-ops and we got four other Co-ops to come on board and partner with us as well.”
The funds raised within each Co-op’s trading area will be used to support programs within that area. The initiatives supported will be those aimed at providing mental health education, resources, and support within local communities.
Funds will help to promote mental wellness in schools, and to offer counseling and therapy services among other community-based programs.
“We created what’s called the Little Things Fund in partnership with the Mental Health Foundation,” Prior said. “That pot of money makes it easier for our local groups and AHS facilitators to apply for the funding so they don’t have to jump through a bunch of hoops.”
She said it’s important for local communities to be able to allocate the funds where they need them, and it’s important to have a transparent process. To that end, Cornerstone Co-op created information cards for their member-owners to show where their donations are spent.
“I would say in a rural area it’s very important to be telling that story and being very transparent and authentic on what’s going on,” Prior said.
Amanda Shah of the Mental Health Foundation says she is grateful to the five Alberta Co-ops. “Their support will enable us to expand our reach, and continue our mission of fostering mental health awareness and resilience to enhance mental health and addictions recovery throughout the province,” she said.
Prior says she’s happy to have five Co-ops partnering on the project, and she’d like to see it expand.
“Actually we would love to have all Alberta Co-ops on board one day,” she said. “But for right now, we’re just taking it one step at a time and we’re just increasing several Co-ops at a time.”
More information on the Co-op Communities In Mind campaign—and Cornerstone Co-op’s participation—can be found on the Mental Health Foundation’s website, mentalhealthfoundation.ca under the Impact section.
