These powerhouse women are on a mission, and when I asked Tova why, her answer was simple: each of their lives has been impacted to varying degrees by mental illness.
The backstory
The four friends have attended fundraisers and donated to many causes over the years that didn’t feel near and dear to them. This started a conversation where they realized that if they were going to continue to attend charitable events they wanted it to be for something that hit close to home for a change.
They took inventory of their interests and came to the conclusion that they didn’t want to start a new charity, but they did want to support an existing charity focused on mental health. In particular, they wanted to raise awareness around the significant need for youth mental health treatment programs.
They concluded that the best way to do this was to capitalize on their collective strengths: networking and event planning. To quote Jack Johnson, “It’s always better when we’re together,” and they knew that together they wouldn’t just be good at raising money, they’d be great at it!
So with that, Love Against Fear was founded.
Why they chose to champion young adult mental health
Late adolescence/young adulthood is when mental health challenges often present themselves, and it is, to say the least, a confusing and overwhelming experience for everyone involved. To go on a journey like this with a loved one means digging deep into our own issues, and pushing through the fear to love our youth just as they are — even when they behave in ways that aren’t loveable. Especially during then.
It is also a very lonely experience. But the cure lies in connection; to oneself, to each other, to our community at large. And if there is one thing these four women are good at, it’s connection!
It can also be a very shameful experience. Surround shame with secrecy and it grows; douse it with empathy and it disappears. So Tova, Carmi, Esther and Orlee decided that the best way they could help would be to plan an event that wouldn’t just raise awareness about youth mental health, but one that would help take away the stigma associated with it. Only when the stigma is erased will our youth feel brave enough to seek out help when they are struggling with their mental health. Stigma reduction is a critical and necessary first step.
Planning a “third party event”
Last spring the four women began planning their first fundraiser and settled on a Halloween Party that would clearly state their mission: Scare Away the Stigma. They decided that the best way to do this was to get behind an existing charity with a compatible mission.
Fortunately for us, Eli’s Place was on their radar because they had each donated to our organization in the past. They reached out to inform us that our vision aligned well with their mission and that Eli’s Place would be the recipient of the profits from their first fundraising event. Then these ladies rolled up their sleeves and got to work on planning what’s known as a “third party event,” so called because an organization outside the charity receiving the proceeds plans and executes the event.
Their vision was an evening with live entertainment, laughter and personal connections that would expand their outreach. The folks at Speducci Mercatto agreed to donate their event space for the evening and our Eli’s Place Digital Marketing Specialist helped them design an Eventbrite page and a Canada Helps donation page. They hired a fabulous 10-piece band and considered their costume options. Once the tickets were on sale, they sold out almost immediately.
They solicited wonderful donations for a silent auction that also raised quite a bit of money. One lesson they learned was to seek even more donations next year so they plan to find companies willing to donate food and alcohol to keep the costs of the evening down even further.
Although they did not know David and Deborah Cooper, co-founders of Eli’s Place, before the event, they asked them to come and speak to their guests about the need for Eli’s Place. Because the party was well underway by the time they took to the mic, David and Deborah kept their message simple: Eli’s Place will save and improve the lives of young adults with serious mental illness.
Their personal story resonated with the guests, many came up to them afterwards to thank them for sharing their vision and exposing the incredible need for effective treatment programs in Ontario. Tova told me that David and Deborah are “incredible, remarkable people,” but we at Eli’s Place already know that!
The big night
For David and Deborah, it was a fun night out with Deborah noting they hadn’t been out dancing into the wee hours in a long time and certainly never dressed in costume as Peanut Butter and Jam! Sharing their experience and their vision led to a networking opportunity that may result in a few good leads to overcome our first hurdle: purchasing a property.
Perhaps even more importantly, we now have an additional 150 members in the Eli’s Place community who understand the need and share our vision. We are incredibly grateful to this fabulous foursome: Tova, Carmi, Esther and Orlee. From a modest idea to host a costume party at Halloween, these amazing women raised approximately $55,000.
One big question that is left hanging in the air post-party is if this is what they can pull off in just six months, imagine what they could do with more awareness, preparation and in-kind donations. Third-party events such as this are a win-win scenario for all of us and we were happy to utilize our resources to help the Love Against Fear team pull it off. Overall the event was so successful that they are planning fundraisers for other worthy causes, including Eli’s Place. To learn more about their future plans stay tuned and visit loveagainstfear.ca For now, they are basking in the glow of their success. Hats off to the four friends who took an idea and ran with it proving that we all win when we champion issues that matter deeply to us.
Eli’s Place will be a rural, residential treatment program for young adults with serious mental illness. To learn more about our mission and our proven-effective model click here.
Sara Moore | Eli’s Place Volunteer
Sara Moore is keen to see Eli’s Place open its doors and volunteers on the Communications Committee where she has used her skills as a graphic designer.
Recently she started a glamping business in northern Ontario called Deer Lake Wilderness Retreat. She’s looking forward to Phase II which will involve hosting workshops around the theme of mental health.
