MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 18, 2023
Maroons Rally for Mental Health
Chatham – Media are invited to attend the Chatham Maroons practice on Tuesday, December 19 at 2:00 pm. The team is rallying for community mental health by participating in a video promoting Be Safe.
Be Safe is a free mobile app that puts help in the hands of those who need it, when they need it. The tool enables a person in crisis to connect to local, up-to-date, mental health resources quickly and easily. People can also use Be Safe to develop an individualized safety plan and access a list of local and national resources.
Be Safe was implemented within the Chatham-Kent region earlier this year as an initiative of the Mental Health Table, a network of nonprofit and healthcare professionals.
“We are excited by the Maroons’ commitment to mental health,” says Cathy De Bresser-Knowler, Public Health Educator with CK Public Health, and Table facilitator. “Their participation sends a powerful message and will extend our reach into the community, showing that it’s OK to reach out. Mental health affects us all, and we know the need continues to be high in C-K.”. The app makes it easier for everyone, especially youth and their families to get the help they need.
Be Safe is available at no cost across Apple and Android devices and is easy to use. It can be downloaded at besafeapp.ca. Funding for Be Safe in Chatham-Kent is provided by Women United, an affinity group of the United Way of Chatham-Kent.
The Mental Health Table is one of four Social Planning & Action (SPA) Tables facilitated by the United Way of Chatham-Kent. The SPA Tables are composed of agencies and organizations operating within the social services, human services, and non-profit sectors serving Chatham-Kent. Convened during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Tables’ focus has evolved to address emergent issues such as mental health and substance use, affordable housing, inequity, and access.
Media Opportunity
• Date: Tuesday, December 19, 2023
• Time: 2:00 – 3:00 pm
• Place: Memorial Arena – 80 Tweedsmuir Ave W, Chatham
