Help Families Stay Safe This Fall
Mother and daughter in a park setting with a serious expression.
This fall, children, youth and families in Calgary are in urgent need of help.
Parents in our community are desperate for support to keep their children safe.
These children are struggling with mental health concerns that impact their well-being and safety. Many are living with depression, anxiety and other challenges that can lead to increased self-harm and even suicide.
Parents, too, are struggling with how to help their kids. Many of these families don’t know where to turn for help, nor do they have the financial resources to access the supports their children need.
And they don’t have time to wait.
Did you know? In 2017, suicide accounted for 36% of deaths among Canadian youth aged 15 to 19.
At Closer to Home, we are hearing more and more stories like Anika’s*. Two years ago, Anika’s daughter attempted suicide.
Her daughter had been devastated by the loss of her father, and the family was struggling to deal with their grief. Anika knew her daughter was sad, and saw her withdrawing from friends and family, but didn’t know she was thinking of ending her life.
Imagine if this was your family.
Approximately 4,000 Canadians die each year by suicide – an average of 11 suicides a day. In 2017, suicide accounted for 36% of deaths among youth aged 15 to 19. For Indigenous youth, that number is as much as six times higher.
Closer to Home works with families like Anika’s every day.
Using our community partnerships and listening to the needs of the kids and families we serve, we are working to enhance supports and improve the mental health of the kids in our community.
How are we doing this?
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- By providing timely and responsive services when and where they are needed;
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- By increasing access to mental health resources;
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- By teaching skills to promote mental health;
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- And by increasing awareness to decrease stigma.
You can support more families like Anika’s, who are in urgent need of help.
Will you?
Donate today to give Anika, and other families like hers, the skills and support they need for a better future.
*Name changed to protect privacy
