There are times when a child or teenager needs a safe space to talk about what is happening in their lives. Whether it’s dealing with anxiety or depression, coping with tragedy, or facing cyberbullying, kids can come up against several hardships at a young age—and it’s important to let them know that they are not alone.

This May, London Drugs is supporting Kids Help Phone, Canada’s only 24/7 national service offering professional counselling, information, and referrals to young people across Canada. Customers will be invited to donate $3 at checkout when shopping at London Drugs, starting May 14 until May 31, and all proceeds raised will go directly to Kids Help Phone to help them always be there to support youth in need.

The impact of Kids Help Phone in Canada

Kids Help Phone is a Canadian leader, known for their expertise and continuous innovation as Canada’s only 24/7, bilingual (English and French) professional counselling, information and volunteer support service for young people.

Since 1989, they have offered kids, teens, and young adults a critical lifeline of hope and support through their free, anonymous service, which research shows significantly improves youth mental health. Young people reach out to Kids Help Phone from every corner of the country via phone, Live Chat, an internationally-recognized website, and through a confidential volunteer-led texting service (available nationwide by the end of 2018) in addition to having access to a database of local youth-serving programs.

Kids Help Phone speaks with young people every day—often acting as the only mental health and well-being support available to vulnerable and at-risk youth across the country. In 2017, Kids Help Phone provided over 59,000 counselling sessions in total across Canada, and youth reached out to Kids Help Phone an average of 530 times per day for counselling, information or referrals.

Kids Help Phone is a registered Canadian charity, and the majority of their revenue is raised from individuals, foundations, corporations, and community fundraising. It takes courage for a young person to reach out to Kids Help Phone and it takes courage for the community to stand behind and support them. With the support of supporters like London Drugs and its customers, Kids Help Phone can work to achieve their vision of a future where every young person in Canada will access the support they need, in the way they need it most. 

To learn more about Kids Help Phone, please visit kidshelpphone.ca.