As a steadfast partner to the historic Feel Out Loud movement, the Foundation’s gift will provide youth in Atlantic Canada with a safe space for their feelings to go

TORONTO, Sept. 10, 2024 – Kids Help Phone today announced a $1 million gift from the J&W Murphy Foundation to support the mental health and well-being of young people in Atlantic Canada. This substantial gift will enable Kids Help Phone to expand its programs across Nova Scotia and throughout Atlantic Canada to meet the growing needs of youth now and in the future.

Kids Help Phone’s Feel Out Loud movement, the largest youth mental health initiative in Canada’s history, seeks to revolutionize mental health care for all young people. The J&W Murphy Foundation’s donation will help realize this vision by providing clinical services across all regions of Atlantic Canada, promoting equity for all youth in the region, and transforming the landscape of e-mental health.

The J&W Murphy Foundation is mobilizing individuals across Atlantic Canada to support youth and their mental health. Until December 31, 2024, the J&W Murphy Foundation will triple all donations made to KHP by residents of Atlantic Canada. To join the movement and unlock hope for more youth to thrive, donate now at KidsHelpPhone.ca/AtlanticMatch.

FAST FACTS

• Kids Help Phone has provided support to young people over 20 million times since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and this number continues to increase daily.
• 74% of service users from Atlantic Canada reside in rural communities or small towns.
• In 2023, KHP reported a 22% increase in service volume in Atlantic Canada compared to 2022
• In Atlantic Canada, Kids Help Phone provides services to youth nearly 600 times each day.
• On average, 75% of young people who reach out to KHP share something they’ve never shared with anyone else.
• On average, 88% of young people feel better after connecting with Kids Help Phone.

QUOTES

“For over 60 years the J&W Murphy Family has been dedicated to investing in communities across Atlantic Canada. When they witnessed the mental health crisis affecting young people in the region, they partnered with Kids Help Phone to find a solution. This gift will help us transform Atlantic Canada’s youth e-mental health system through the power of unparalleled data, partnerships and innovation, unlocking hope and support for young people to thrive,” said Katherine Hay, President & CEO, Kids Help Phone.

“At a time when there’s been a significant rise in demand for mental health care among young people, the J&W Murphy Foundation is grateful for this opportunity to partner with Kids Help Phone to ensure that our youth have access to the support they need, when they need it most. We are passionate advocates of Kids Help Phone’s Feel Out Loud movement and are honored to support KHP to ensure support and services reach each community in Atlantic Canada.

We encourage Atlantic Canadians to join us in supporting Kids Help Phone, knowing that every dollar donated will be matched (x3) by our foundation, expanding our impact for youth in Atlantic Canada. Our society is only just beginning to recognize the scale of the youth mental health crisis coming out of the pandemic, but together, we can make a profound difference in the lives of young people across our region.” said Lisa Murphy, Co-Chair, J&W Murphy Foundation.

About Feel Out Loud
Kids Help Phone’s Feel Out Loud movement, a $300 million fundraising campaign is the largest movement for youth mental health in Canada’s history. The campaign is aimed at providing young people support without obstacles and help with any hardship. Because no challenge is too big, and no feeling is too small for Kids Help Phone.

About Kids Help Phone
Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7 national, e-mental health service offering free, confidential, multi-lingual support to young people. As the country’s virtual care expert, we give millions of youth a safe, trusted space to Feel Out Loud over the phone, through text, or in self-directed supports for any moment of crisis or need. The Feel Out Loud campaign is the largest movement for youth mental health in Canada’s history – it will raise $300 million to unlock hope for young people to thrive in their worlds. Kids Help Phone gratefully relies on the generosity of donors, volunteers, stakeholder partners, corporate partners and governments to fuel and fund our programs. Learn more at KidsHelpPhone.ca.

About J&W Murphy Foundation
The J&W Murphy Foundation was founded in 2008 by the late Janet and Bill Murphy, long-time residents of Liverpool, Nova Scotia, as a vehicle to give back to the community. The Foundation contributes to a wide variety of charitable causes.

SOURCE Kids Help Phone