Starr Cunningham, President & CEO, Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia
There are many things I love about my job, but making connections definitely tops the list.
From encounters with donors, corporate partners, people with lived experience and their families, volunteers, and community fundraising champions… meeting Nova Scotians with a shared passion for mental health is nothing short of extraordinary!
Recently, more of these connections are happening without a lot of pre-planning and calendar scheduling. Thanks to the power of a cookie and a cup of coffee, they’re becoming more casual and unexpected.
As one of the fortunate charities chosen to receive proceeds from the Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign, I’ve been spending a lot of time in kitchens and on several storefront floors. Surprisingly, the conversations I’ve been having aren’t about the weather or the previous night’s Blue Jays game. They’ve been going deeper and ending with hugs rather than handshakes.
Maybe it’s the environment. Maybe it’s the spontaneity. Maybe it’s because the cookies are so darn delicious. Whatever it is, mental wellness is on the menu!
I’ve always known Tims is a popular gathering spot, but I didn’t realize there were so many ‘regulars’. When it comes to consistency, you can count on coffee, donuts, and lively tables full of jovial seniors and retired folks. There’s a sound of playful banter and a sense of camaraderie that’s evident as soon as you walk through the door. At first glance, you might think it’s just regular coffee shop behaviour, but there’s something more to what’s happening here.
There’s teasing about eating too many cookies and several exaggerated waves of hello. Then there’s the quiet whispers of “Thank you for working in mental health… I struggle too… I’ve lost someone I love.”
The Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia knows all about the healing strength of community and connection. It’s at the core of everything we do, each and every day.
Our goal is to create a community of hope by improving the mental wellness of Nova Scotians. We do that by granting funds to community-based mental health and addictions organizations. Needless to say, connections are key.
After polling more than 27,000 Canadians, Mental Health Research Canada (MHRC) shared its ‘Mental Health and Sense of Belonging’ results earlier this year. The biggest takeaway – individuals with a strong sense of belonging reported better mental health. 11% experienced moderate to severe anxiety and 21% depression, compared to 18% and 34% among those individuals with weak belonging.
These findings make it easy to see just how important social interaction is to good mental health and why gathering with friends over coffee can be so therapeutic.
MHRC’s experts encourage all of us to work at strengthening our local connections by visiting shared spaces that foster belonging while reducing isolation, especially in urban areas.
It’s reassuring to know Nova Scotians can get closer to this goal by simply making time to stop, sit, and socialize. An achievable mental wellness recipe for the sharing of even more smiles.
