Nearly $1 million collected in one-day fundraiser for Kelowna mental health supports

The Kelowna General Hospital Foundation raised nearly $1 million during Thursday’s Day of Giving Fundraiser.

In total $969,207 was raised in the one-day event, money that will one day go toward the $1.7 million We See You campaign, which focuses on mental health resources in the community.

According to Interior Health, from January 2019 to December 2021, there was a 41 per cent increase in moderate to severe mental health referrals in the health region, making it an issue many have dealt with in one way or another.

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Organizers said they couldn’t believe how many more people were giving.

“Our first gift of the day, just before 6 a.m., was from a gentleman who seemed a little down on his luck. As he was walking by, he asked what we were up to,” Chandel Schmidt, the KGH Foundation’s senior director of philanthropic programs.

“When we told him, he dug into his pocket and produced 40 cents. He said, ‘It’s all I have, but I want to give. What you’re doing is very important,’” says Schmidt. “We were so touched by his generosity. This is why Day of Giving is incredibly special. It provides everyone with the opportunity to take action in support of better health care in our community.”

The We See You campaign aims to provide immediate funding for local mental health-care providers and support long-term collaboration for system change.

The campaign is a collaboration between the foundation, Interior Health and community providers including CMHA-Kelowna, the Child Advocacy Centre and Kelowna Community Resources.