Guelph charity expands programming capacity to address mental health needs

Kelly Legge made some lifestyle changes following an accident in 2007 that led her to take up exercising.

Now, she is the executive director of a local registered charity called Up and Running Guelph.

The organization recently announced it was expanding its programming capacity by 50 per cent in response to the need for mental health in the community.

By expanding the programs, Legge said it’ll create more resources and more support.

“When Up and Running Guelph started in 2016, our programs were limited to participants who identified as female, given their higher experiences with mental illness and as women we could relate to those unique challenges,” Legge said.

“The reality is everyone has mental health so with our program expansion, we’re planning for gender-inclusive options to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to experience these benefits.”

She said two main factors come to mind as to why more mental health programming is needed: the growing demand for mental health and accessibility.

Up and Running offers programs through physical activity for women trying to manage their mental health.

And it’s physical activities such as biking and running that have become a passion for Legge, something she has referred to as her pillars of strength.

She said physical activity is a powerful tool for managing mental health.

She said exercise promotes positive changes in the brain, including neural growth, reduced inflammation and creates new activity patterns to promote feelings of common well-being.

“For me, when I first started biking and running almost 15 years ago, I was looking for something to improve my quality of life following a car accident a few years prior,” she said.

“What I found was so much more; it changed my life completely.”

Legge said biking and running became a source of motivation and hope that she was able to build a community around her and help her to move forward and focus on what was possible instead of dwelling on what she could no longer do.

The funding for the expansion was made possible by the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

Prior to the expansion announcement, the charity ran pilot projects, including a program for women with strollers.

She said the projects taught them about connecting, serving and understanding the community’s needs as it starts to expand its programs.

Not only is it a place where people who join can be themselves, but she said participants are encouraged to show up and do what just feels best for them without any added pressure.

“We’re not a therapy group, we don’t provide counselling. It’s simply a place where you can be without the added pressures of putting on the bright faces and fake smiles,” she said.

Legge said free walking and running pop-up events are taking place throughout this month.

She said the pop-up events are a great opportunity for people to come out and having a great time while getting outside with other people.

You can learn more information by heading to the Up and Running Guelph website.