BentallGreenOak launches multi-year, cross-Canada partnership with Kids Help Phone to drive awareness and education on mental health care for children
Toronto (November 29, 2022) — BentallGreenOak (BGO) today announced the launch of a multi-year commitment with Kids Help Phone to drive awareness and increase public understanding of the critical mental health care services that are available to youth across Canada. The partnership was inaugurated today with a $108,000 donation to Kids Help Phone, featuring donations from the firm’s corporate philanthropy program, BGO Inspired, and contributions made on behalf of BGO’s clients representing the firm’s office and industrial real estate portfolio in Canada. BGO’s 2022 donation and ensuing partnership in 2023 will serve as the kick off for financial and programmatic collaboration with Kids Help Phone over the next three years.
As part of BGO Canada’s commitment to Kids Help Phone in 2023, the firm’s 60+ million square feet of real estate assets under administration - representing office, industrial, retail and multi-family residential property - will have the opportunity to participate in awareness campaigns aimed at expanding the public’s access and understanding of Kids Help Phone’s services. Programming and tenant/resident engagement initiatives will further extend the reach of Kids Help Phone’s outreach efforts to assist with their mandate in communities across Canada.
“The opportunity for BentallGreenOak to partner with Kids Help Phone on a national scale is a true privilege that connects our employees, tenants and residents, clients, and partners to a cause that is incredibly close to our hearts,” said Keith Major, Managing Partner, Head of Canadian Real Estate Management, BentallGreenOak. “Mental health and wellness have become prevalent subjects that directly influence the ethos of the services we provide to all whom we serve, and as the demand for care and counselling continue to rise, the alignment that we have forged with Kids Help Phone to help direct our efforts towards the most vulnerable amongst us is as timely as ever.”
“We are moved by BGO’s passion to help raise awareness of Kids Help Phone’s life-changing services. BGO is helping us reach deep into communities through physical and digital spaces, where young people and caring adults live, work and congregate,” said Jenny Yuen, Senior Vice President, National Partnerships & Government Relations. “We are so grateful that the community of BGO stakeholders responded through a year-end donation that will support our e-mental health services and programs, accessible by young people in every community across Canada.”
Kids Help Phone’s mission is to provide young people with access to the mental health care services they need, when and how they need it the most. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, young people across Canada reached out to Kids Help Phone over 12.2 million times. As the only national, 24/7, bilingual e-mental health service for young people in the country, volunteer staff and trained professionals answer young people’s call for help. Recently, the organization announced that they have expanded their services to include counselling in six additional languages, including Ukrainian, Russian, Pashto, Dari, Mandarin, Arabic, Plains Cree and Ojibwe.
About BentallGreenOak
BentallGreenOak is a leading, global real estate investment management advisor and a globally-recognized provider of real estate services. BentallGreenOak serves the interests of more than 750 institutional clients with approximately $80 billion USD of assets under management (as of September 30, 2022) and expertise in the asset management of office, industrial, multi-residential, retail and hospitality property across the globe. BentallGreenOak has offices in 28 cities across fourteen countries with deep, local knowledge, experience, and extensive networks in the regions where we invest in and manage real estate assets on behalf of our clients in primary, secondary and co-investment markets. BentallGreenOak is a part of SLC Management, which is the alternatives asset management business of Sun Life.
The assets under management shown above includes real estate equity and mortgage investments managed by the BentallGreenOak group of companies and their affiliates, and as of 1Q21, includes certain uncalled capital commitments for discretionary capital until they are legally expired and excludes certain uncalled capital commitments where the investor has complete discretion over investment.
For more information, please visit www.bentallgreenoak.com
About Kids Help Phone
Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7 e-mental health service offering free, confidential support in English and French to young people. As the country’s virtual care expert, we give millions of youth a safe, trusted space to talk over phone or through text or in self-directed supports in any moment of crisis or need. Through our digital transformation, we envision a future where every person in Canada is able to get the support they need, when they need it most, however they need it. Kids Help Phone gratefully relies on the generosity of donors, volunteers, stakeholder partners, corporate partners and governments to fuel and fund our programs. Learn more at KidsHelpPhone.ca or follow us:
Twitter:@KidsHelpPhone
Facebook:@KidsHelpPhone
Instagram:@KidsHelpPhone
Media Contacts
Rahim Ladha
Global Head of Communications & Philanthropy
media@bentallgreenoak.com
Lindsey Coulter, Kids Help Phone
647-390-4841
lindsey.coulter@kidshelpphone.ca
