Bell Let's Talk Day is tomorrow: Join the mental health conversation!

Bell Let's Talk Day is tomorrow: Join the mental health conversation!


-- Clara Hughes invites you to talk about mental health to help
break the stigma
-- Join in and Bell will donate 5¢ to mental health for your
texts, calls and tweets
-- Learn more at
Bell.ca/LetsTalk


MONTREAL, Jan. 27, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - Tomorrow is the 4(th) annual day Bell Let's Talk Day, when Canadians will come together to
talk, text, and tweet about mental health to help fight the stigma
around mental illness.



"Hello everyone! Really looking forward to joining with you tomorrow to
help make Canada's mental health better," said Clara Hughes, Canada's
six-time Olympic medalist and Bell Let's Talk national spokesperson.
"The mental health cause has come a long way in the last four years and
I know we can keep the momentum rolling by talking, texting, tweeting
and sharing like never before on Bell Let's Talk Day!"


Join the conversation and Bell gives more to mental health

On Bell Let's Talk Day, Bell donates 5 cents for every text, mobile
call, and long distance call made by Bell and Bell Aliant customers,
every tweet using #BellLetsTalk, and every Facebook share of that day's
Bell Let's Talk Day image. Bell's donations are made at no extra charge
to Bell Let's Talk Day participants, though normal long distance or
text charges, if any, apply. In 2013, Canadians answered Clara's call
with a total of 96,266,266 texts, calls, tweets and Facebook shares,
meaning Bell Let's Talk added another $4,813,313.30 to its total
donation commitment.


Toronto Maple Leafs Hockey Talks official puck drop with Clara

In celebration of Bell Let's Talk Day, Clara will join the Toronto Maple
Leafs at centre ice for the official puck drop at tomorrow night's game
versus the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Air Canada Centre (TSN, 7:00pm
eastern). Fans are encouraged to continue the conversation about mental
health during the Hockey Talks for mental health game by calling, texting and tweeting.


Kids Help Phone and Bell Let's Talk connect with students

Kids Help Phone and Bell Let's Talk representatives including Clara
Hughes are visiting schools in Toronto and Montréal on Bell Let's Talk
Day. At CCSE Maisonneuve and Northern Secondary School, students will
learn about mental health and essential supports like Kids Help Phone,
the anonymous and confidential phone and online professional
counselling service for youth.


The Bell Let's Talk team

Joining Clara this year are Bell Let's Talk partners TV personality
Seamus O'Regan, comedians Michel Mpambara and Kevin Breel, musicians
Stefie Shock, Matthew Good and Robb Nash, and athletes Shea Emry, Joé
Juneau, and Andy O'Brien. Together, the Bell Let's Talk team is
encouraging Canadians to join them in the growing conversation about
mental health in media, schools and other public appearances.


The Bell Let's Talk mental health initiative

While 20% of Canadians will experience a mental illness in their
lifetimes, 2 in 3 suffer in silence for fear of being judged or
rejected because of the continuing stigma.



"Mental illness costs our national economy more than $52 billion a year
with more than 500,000 Canadians missing work every day because of a
mental health issue," said George Cope, President and CEO of Bell
Canada and BCE. "Mental illness touches everyone in our society in some
way and should concern all of us. On Bell Let's Talk Day, please join
in ending the stigma and ensuring Canadians facing mental illness are
able to get the help they need."


4 Action Pillars

Launched in 2010, the Bell Let's Talk mental health initiative is built
around 4 action pillars - anti-stigma, care and access, research, and
workplace best practices. Bell Let's Talk is working to end the stigma
by inviting all Canadians to talk openly and supportively about mental
illness, while providing significant funding to leading mental health
institutions and grassroots organizations in every province and
territory, championing new workplace initiatives across corporate
Canada, and supporting new research at Canadian universities and other
institutions.



Bell has now committed $62,043,289.30 to Canadian mental health based on
its original $50-million donation plus the results of the last 3 Bell
Let's Talk Days: $3,303,961.80 in 2011; $3,926,014.20 in 2012; and
$4,813,313.30 in 2013.


The newest Bell Let's Talk partners

Bell Let's Talk partners with a growing number of mental health leaders
across the country. So far this year, Bell Let's Talk has announced a
$2.5 million donation for Kids Help Phone to support the mental health
of young people in Canada; the $1 million Bell Canada Chair in
Adolescent Mood & Anxiety Disorders at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto;
$225,000 for the Université Laval Foundation in Québec City to support
student mental health; and, in partnership with Morneau Shepell and
Queen's University, Canada's first university-certified workplace
mental health training program in support of Canada's National Standard
for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace.



Bell Let's Talk also engages the entire Bell team across the country.
Employees are participating in online and in-person discussions and
learning sessions with mental health experts and people living with
mental illness, and asking friends, family and business partners to
join the conversation. During the weeks leading up to Bell Let's Talk
Day, Bell retail outlets across Canada have featured Bell Let's Talk
displays and Bell team members have been wearing Bell Let's Talk shirts
and lanyards to spread the message. The Bell fleet has been enlisted
too, with thousands of Bell service vehicles sporting Bell Let's Talk
flags.


Bell Let's Talk Community Fund


2014 applications are now being accepted for the Bell Let's Talk
Community Fund, which each year provides grants of $5,000 to $50,000 to
organizations, hospitals and agencies focused on improving access to
mental health care in their communities in every region of Canada.
Grants support capacity-building projects aimed at creating or
expanding programs that provide front-line support and/or reduce the
stigma for those impacted by mental health issues. The $1-million
annual Fund has now invested in more than 160 local organizations in
every province and territory of Canada.



To learn more please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.


Clara's Big Ride for Bell Let's Talk

Soon after Bell Let's Talk Day, Clara Hughes will set out on Clara's Big
Ride for Bell Let's Talk. Supporting local mental health initiatives by
community groups, schools and other local organizations in every
province and territory, Clara's 110-day journey around Canada by
bicycle begins March 14, spans 12,000 kilometres and will visit 95
Canadian communities, concluding in Ottawa on Canada Day, July 1.



For more information, please visit Bell.ca/ClarasBigRide.


About Bell

Bell is Canada's largest communications company, providing consumers and
business customers with wireless, TV, Internet, home phone and business
communications services. Bell Media is Canada's premier multimedia
company with leading assets in television, radio and digital media.
Bell is wholly owned by Montréal's BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE). For more
information, please visit Bell.ca

SOURCE Bell Canada

Bell Canada

CONTACT: Media inquiries:  Jacqueline Michelis
Bell Media Relations
1- 855-785-1427
jacqueline.michelis@bell.ca
@Bell_News


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