No One Stands Alone is celebrating our one-year anniversary! It has been my (Debb Pitel) long time desire to see a guide to mental health resources and supports be made available to the community, and now that is finally a reality. I’ve known through my journey of trying to get help for my son Tyler, the struggle to find that help was very difficult. In a time when connecting to resources is critical, the frustration couldn’t weigh heavier in an already difficult situation.
This guide to local contacts has not only been supported, but there have been countless conversations in the last year. Shared with me have been the emotional stories of so many families who, like us, were desperate for something and you could see the deep emotions they felt, knowing this booklet could have made a difference. When their endorsement was given, when their journey could now be offered with a solution for others, I knew I had to continue to get this booklet printed and placed in more locations. Covid supply chain issues have driven the cost to produce the booklet to more than double it was last year, but we are not deterred by cost when the goal is life changing. Yes, it has been quite the journey of ups and downs, but we are proud of what we have accomplished in just one year!
Through ongoing fundraising and community support, we have been able to print and distribute over 60 000 copies of our resource guides in Lambton and Chatham-Kent, with more print runs scheduled during 2022. We are so grateful to all our sponsors from last year and those that are returning again this year, such as the towns of Petrolia and Wyoming, and for the service clubs who have offered not only funding but services as well. A big shout out to our local Optimists clubs, Kiwanis Club and Lions’ Club for their interest in supporting our communities, as well as to the community of the Township of Dawn-Euphemia for stepping up financially to help us bring more books to the area. Coming on board this year as well is Petrolia Minor Hockey
We are also ecstatic to be making community partners, such as with the Myles Neuts Make Children Better Now Association, Lambton OPP, and the Chatham-Kent Police, to help get these guides into the hands of those who are in crisis, who need help NOW. We have also partnered with BASES and the Local 700 Ironworkers to include our guides in their training program that reaches thousands of workers in the Chemical Valley. Then there are the agencies and employers who, realizing the value of such a resource, have purchased copies of our guide to distribute to their employees.
Another community connection we have made is with high school students who need community service hours. They have helped us to top up our stands in various locations, and in doing so, they have become aware of our booklet so that if they, or someone they know, needs help, they can find it easily, for free, and without an appointment, ever! To help make more young people aware of the No One Stands Alone Guide to Resources and Supports for Mental Health, we also provided over 1000 copies to the Minor Hockey Association so all families, players and coaches would have access to this valuable information.
We would be remiss if we didn’t mention our corporate sponsors, such as Conagra Foods, Medavie, Kent Electric and MC Business Solutions. Their financial support has made us able to make a much bigger impact in our communities. We are honoured to have so many wonderful supporters behind us to help us in our mission to make mental healthcare access easier for all.
We have been pleased to attend many community events, such as the Foodland Grand Re-opening April 18th in Dresden, Wyoming Picnic in the Park May 14th and we will be at the Optimist Fun Day June 4th as well as the upcoming Dresden Night Market and the St. Pat’s High School Wellness Fair, to name but a few. We were able to host our own charity golf tournament in September of last year, and we have two more booked for this year (see the events section in the website sidebar for dates).
We are in the process of becoming a registered charity, and will update when that is official!
We appreciate every sponsor for their kind generosity. We are making a difference. Thanks to our sponsors, we are saving lives!
No One Stands Alone – Connecting community to care! Quickly, accurately and long before crisis is our goal!
For more information on how you can support, donate or obtain copies for your employees or organization, please reach out:
By email to info@noonestandsalone.ca or by phone at 519-504-NOSA (6672)