Bell Let's Talk
The National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC) is pleased to announce the inclusion of the Friendship Centre Movement in Bell Let’s Talk 2023 campaign. This year’s campaign aims to highlight the work of organizations that create positive change through providing mental health supports to their communities.
"We are more than happy to join Bell Let’s Talk to continue to create positive change for mental health in Canada” said Jocelyn Formsma, NAFC Chief Executive Officer, “For First Nations, Inuit, and Métis mental health is holistic, it is a part of physical, emotional and spiritual health that is tied to our communities and cultures. Friendship Centres offer these supports every day across Canada through language, culture, and on the land programming in addition to mental health supports."
The 2023 Bell Let’s Talk Day campaign – Let’s change this – puts a sharp focus on key challenges faced by Canadians and explicitly asks Canadians to take their own actions on Bell Let's Talk Day and every day throughout the year at home, in their workplace and communities so we can all help to create positive change.
Today and every day throughout the year, we can all take meaningful action to create positive change. Let's change this asks everyone to play a role and provides practical examples of ways to create change in our homes, schools, workplaces and communities. Visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk for more ideas and share your actions using #BellLetsTalk and help inspire others to join the movement to create positive change.
To find out about where the closest Friendship Centre is to you, and how you can support the work of the Friendship Centre Movement, please see our Find a Friendship Centre page.
Bell Let's Talk Diversity Fund
In July of 2020, Bell announced the NAFC has a recipient of their inaugural Bell Diversity Fund, providing the NAFC with $250,000 to provide microgrants to Friendship Centres, who leveraged the funding to support mental health initiatives for youth, Elders, families, children, unhoused individuals, and other community members.
“The work of Friendship Centres has always centred on developing and maintaining crucial community and cultural connections. This was especially important during the pandemic as we were all navigating major uncertainties. We were excited to partner with Bell Diversity Fund to help ensure our communities have access to culturally-specific mental health supports.” – Jocelyn Formsma, NAFC CEO
The microgrants were used for:
- Supporting existing programs and initiatives needing to scale up or expand.
- Continuing support to provide wellness checks and packages to alleviate social isolation, especially with Elders
- Supporting community events and outreach
- Tailoring support to what is needed in the community (i.e., wraparound services)
- Resources and partnerships to support Mental health program design
- Improving online access and connectivity for community members so they can access online resources.
Take a look at our Bell Diversity Fund Final Report. 
If you would like to make a donation to the National Association of Friendship Centres, please click on the “donate” button below.
Please note that the National Association of Friendship Centres will not be able to provide any charitable receipts for donations received.