#BellLetsTalk raises $6.9 million for mental health services

By Vanessa Cuevas

The annual #BellLetsTalk campaign raised more than $6.9 million this year for mental health services across Canada.

Since 2011 Bell Canada started the #BellLetsTalk campaign in hopes of starting the conversation about mental health. Once a year, for each time the BellLetsTalk hashtag is used in a day, Bell donates 5 cents towards community fund grants, children and youth services, Indigenous communities and military family support services.

In 2011 there were over 66 million interactions. This year on Jan. 31 that number has more than doubled with over 138 million interactions. This year alone, $6,919,199.75, BellLetsTalk raised the highest amount ever.

The BellLetsTalk hashtag is used on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. A video was produced by Bell highlighting the importance of mental health and with every view 5 cents was donated. Snapchat also added a filter and with every use, Bell also donated.

This year celebrities, athletes, sport organizations and many more other public figures joined in on the conversation. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also joined in on Twitter, tweeting about his mother and her struggles with mental health.

Ever since the campaign started, Bell has donated $86.5 million towards helping those affected by mental health struggles across Canada.