Day of Giving 2022

KGH Day of Giving to Support Mental Health Care is April 21, 2022

Every Donation will be Matched!

 

Mental health care is health care that affects us all.

KELOWNA, BC, April 14, 2022 – “I’m good. Everything’s good.” This is a common answer to the question, ‘how are you?’, but according to statistics, more often it’s not quite the truth.

“We know that one in two of us has, or will have experienced a mental health challenge by the age of 40,” says Allison Ramchuk, CEO of the KGH Foundation. “Referrals within Interior Health continue to rise for moderate to severe mental health challenges—over 40% from January 2019 to December 2021.”

Which is why, on Thursday, April 21, the KGH Foundation’s Day of Giving is dedicated to raising desperately needed funding to address the mental health care crisis right here at home. The annual fundraiser is a one-day call to action for the community to support excellence in local health care. Thanks to the generosity of three local families, all funds raised on Day of Giving will be matched dollar for dollar until 11:59 p.m. on April 21.

“We are acutely aware of how pervasive the mental health crisis is, and that the current situation is not sustainable,” says Ramchuk. “We hope to raise $1M through on Day of Giving in support of the foundation’s ‘We see you’ campaign.”

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Since launching in mid-March, the ‘We see you’ campaign, which features images and stories of people many can see themselves in, has generated a strong community response. Despite the success of awareness campaigns such as Bell’s Let’s Talk, the stigma surrounding mental health challenges still makes it a subject that is complicated to bring up.

“Anxiety, depression, PTSD… these are real challenges to our mental well-being.  But you can’t see when someone is suffering. I think that is why this campaign has really hit home for people,” says Ramchuk.

Funds raised on Day of Giving will provide immediate funding to offer relief to existing community-based mental health programs critically stressed under the weight of the increased demand. Funds will also support system change work, providing resources for local mental health providers and knowledge experts to identify, articulate, and address systemic issues that create barriers to excellence in mental health care in our communities.

“I strongly encourage everyone who has been touched by mental health challenges, whether personally or through a loved one, to tune in to local Bell Media radio stations Virgin 99.9, Move 101.5 and Phil Johnson’s morning show on AM1150 on April 21,” says Shauna Nyrose, KGH Foundation Senior Director of Brand & Communications. “We will be sharing stories and learning first-hand from community mental health care providers, campaign supporters, and others connected to the cause.

“The KGH Day of Giving is an important day – a time when we unite as a community and work together to change the status quo,” says Nyrose.

There are several ways to give on April 21:

  • By phone at 250-980-6123
  • At the drive-thru donation station across from KGH (parking lot at 2251 Pandosy St. in Kelowna), from 6 AM-6 PM
  • Online at kghfoundation.com

Since its inception six years ago, Day of Giving has raised over $2.85 million in support of KGH and community healthcare. The ongoing success of the annual fundraiser is a testament to the care, enthusiasm and generosity of the community, businesses and frontline caregivers to come together in support of a shared commitment to the health of the community.

To make a gift or learn more about the KGH Foundation’s Day of Giving, please visit kghfoundation.com/day-of-giving.

Since 1978, the KGH Foundation has worked with a generous community to raise funds to support world-class healthcare close to home for a rapidly expanding and diverse population in the interior of B.C.  Today, the KGH Foundation is the lead fundraising organization for Kelowna General Hospital and its associated facilities, JoeAnna’s House and Central Okanagan Hospice House.

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