A whole world of hope just a phone call away
Distress Centres help lines aim to build connections
“Creating hope and resilience, one connection at a time” is the mission statement of the Distress Centres.
“Our main goal is around creating hope and resiliency within our community,” says Lindsay Sweeney, the centre’s resource development manager. “And we do that in many different ways, but it’s really all about making connections with individuals.”
The organization provides services for people with a wide array of needs. The Survivor Support Program, for example, works with people who have lost someone to suicide or homicide, while the 408 Helpline offers confidential assistance for people in emotional crisis or distress, 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Its Caller Reassurance for Seniors Program works with seniors experiencing isolation and loneliness, call- ing them multiple times a week to check in, remind them of appointments or explore the challenges they may be dealing with.
“People call us for a wide range of emotional and relationship issues,” says Sweeney, noting that the centres serve the community through nine lines.
“We support people who are trying to manage their mental health concerns, experiencing situational distress based on immediate life events, contemplating suicide and we have people living in isolation that regularly call us as a way of connecting.”
Around156,000 calls were placed to the help line in 2014, she says, and the organization works with more than 600 extensively trained volunteer responders at three GTA locations, in North York, Scarborough and downtown.
The organization has just launched an online system that allows volunteers to do text messaging and online chats with people instead of always making phone calls.
“We’ve evolved so much in the last 48 years,” Sweeney says. What your money can do
$10 supports three callers on the 408 Helpline.
$20 provides four hours of training for a volunteer.
$60 covers the cost of one individualized survivor-support session.
$70 covers the cost of the 408 Helpline for an hour. Where your money goes
84 per cent goes directly to programs and services
16 per cent goes to administration and fundraising costs Visit torontodistresscentre.com