December 14, 2018

The holidays are now upon us! We understand that the holidays can sometimes be more messy than magic, but the holidays have us remembering what the spirit of this season is all about.

This is the season of generosity and kindness, family and friends, joy and celebration.

This season can also bring about the blues, seasonal depression, grief and sadness.

To be able to hold in one hand the immeasurable suffering that exists on our planet, while in the other hand holding the incredible vibrancy of the human spirit, and still be able to see hope, takes incredible strength. Hope is sometimes forgotten, but sometimes it is gifted.

“Hope confronts. It does not ignore pain, agony, or injustice. It is not a saccharine optimism that refuses to see, face, or grapple with the wretchedness of reality. You can't have hope without despair, because hope is a response. Hope is the active conviction that despair will never have the last word.” - Cory Booker

This season we are filled with hope. This past year we have witnessed an incredible rising in our industry. A standing up for the people who have forgotten about hope, a declaration of courage as people gift hope to their peers, and new programming that we hope can light the way for those struggling.

This year, we teamed up with Farm Credit Canada to bring our industry the Community Fund. We had no idea that we would see the incredible support that we did as we witnessed over 100 communities apply for funding to bring Mental Health First Aid to their communities!

So far, we have chosen 12 communities that are on their way to bringing a Mental Health First Aid Training to communities all across Canada. These communities are as follows across Canada:

• Breton AB

• Strathmore AB

• Fairview AB

• Valleyview AB

• Lake Lenore SK

• Lloydminster SK

• Unity SK

• Grandview MB

• Colborne ON

• Oxford County ON

• Listowel ON

• Kinkora PEI

We are filled with hope.

We are also filled with gratitude. This would not have been possible without you. Your acknowledgement of a need for a new conversation has us all #RootedInStrength and recognizing that to change the conversation, #ItStartsWithMe.

If you or someone that you know is struggling this season, please know that it is OK to ask for help. Visit out resources page for a list of resources across Canada. You are not alone.

The Do More Agriculture Foundation is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are in crisis, please visit your local emergency department or call 911 immediately.