Now in its seventh year, Bell is bringing back its popular Bell Let’s Talk Day to raise awareness for mental health issues.
On January 25th, the telecommunications giant will donate five cents for every text message sent and local and long distance call made over its network, as well as every tweet issued using the #BellLetsTalk hashtag and Facebook share with the Bell Let’s Talk Day image. This year, Bell is also donating when Canadians use Instagram and Snapchat to share the campaign’s message. The goal in 2017 is to surpass 2016’s record of 126 million messages sent and $6.3 million raised.
When Bell unveiled the initiative in 2010, the company made a commitment to provide at least $50 million in funding to “create a stigma-free Canada and drive action in mental health care, research and the workplace.” To date, the company says there have been 470 million “interactions” across all channels, raising $79,919,178.55.
Bell announced in 2015 that it extended the initiative to 2020, raising its commitment to $100 million in total funding.
“We thank our incredible team of Bell Let’s Talk Day spokespeople and ambassadors for sharing their lived experience and encouraging everyone to join the campaign to move Canada’s mental health forward,” said George Cope, president and CEO of BCE and Bell Canada. “Bell Let’s Talk Day fights the pervasive stigma around mental illness by inviting everyone to get engaged, and to keep on talking about this critical national health concern every day. By joining the conversation on Bell Let’s Talk Day, you directly drive Bell’s funding for Canadian mental health, expanding proven frontline programs and launching innovative new approaches in care, research and workplace leadership.”
Source: Bell
