Empire Company Limited recently marked a major milestone with its Family of Support: Child and Youth Mental Health initiative, creating circles of support for child and youth mental health across Canada.
In partnership with The Sobey Foundation and Canada’s Children’s Hospital Foundations (CCHF), the initiative is in its sixth year, continuing to fund and raise awareness for early intervention and crisis prevention programs through local children’s hospital foundations.
Since launching in 2020, the initiative has helped children’s hospitals across Canada treat and assess more than 220,000 children and youth – equivalent to approximately 120 children and youth per day. It has helped Canada’s 13 children’s hospitals cumulatively add and enhance close to 100 treatment spaces, train more than 17,000 mental health professionals and care providers, perform over 98,000 assessments and treat over 128,000 children and youth.
Empire Family of Brands, The Sobey Foundation, and CCHF have raised and donated more than $21 million in funds and in-kind support. 100% of funds raised go directly to local early intervention programs, helping expand access to mental health support for families in communities across the country.
From September 18–October 5, Empire Family of Brands, The Sobey Foundation, and CCHF continued their nationwide fundraising campaign to support early intervention and prevention programs for children and youth.
Renée Hopfner, Head of Corporate Citizenship at Empire Company Limited, said the company launched the Family of Support: Child and Youth Mental Health initiative with Canada’s Children’s Hospital Foundations (CCHF) in 2020 to help more kids and families access local mental health support.
“The vision was always early help, close to home. Five years in, that vision continues to support 13 children’s hospitals with local programs focused on early intervention and crisis prevention. Since 2020, the initiative has helped Canada’s 13 children’s hospitals cumulatively add and enhance close to 100 treatment spaces, train more than 17,000 mental health professionals and care providers, perform over 98,000 assessments and treat over 128,000 children and youth,” she said.
“This five-year milestone reflects sustained investment and partnership, supporting programs that meet urgent needs and lay the groundwork for long-term change. As the need grows, so does the impact of Family of Support.”
Hopfner said one theme across Family of Support–funded programs is a holistic approach to early mental health intervention, one that goes beyond clinical treatment to support the overall well-being of children and youth.
“For example, in Calgary, Alberta, Family of Support is helping open access to child and youth mental health care at The Summit: Marian and Jim Sinneave Centre for Youth Resilience. Thanks to community support through the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation, hundreds of children and teens receiving care at The Summit benefit from specialized programming, including music, art, recreation, and horticultural therapy, that supports them on their mental health journey,” she said.
“Moreover, in Hamilton, Ontario, Family of Support is helping expand access to care at McMaster Children’s Hospital through Substance Use Supports for Pediatrics. McMaster Children’s Hospital is integrating youth substance use counsellors and peer support workers, in partnership with community providers to deliver integrated care, enhance community connections, and improve patient outcomes and safety by simultaneouslyaddressing mental health and substance use challenges.
“These are just two examples of how Family of Support is helping more children and youth access critical mental health programs early, but there are many more. Each program, across 13 children’s hospitals in Canada supported through Family of Support, has a regional focus, addressing urgent needs within the communities they serve.”
Hopfner said Empire partners with Canada’s Children’s Hospital Foundations (CCHF), which coordinates across 13 children’s hospital foundations, so funds stay local and align with each hospital’s priorities.
“Children’s hospitals are on the front lines of mental health care and understand the needs of their communities. Every dollar donated supports local programs directly. Children’s hospitals share how programs are
making an impact through assessments, patients served, care providers trained, and treatment spaces. This model blends national scale with local accountability, ensuring communities see tangible benefits where they live.”
At Empire Family of Brands, banners mobilize the local communities they serve. Customers were able to donate at checkout in participating stores across Canada, with campaign details promoted in store and online.
“We reinforce checkout giving with in-store and digital signage that connects customers to local hospital programs and FamilyofSupport.ca. Additionally, our banners also promote the campaign on social media, with amplification from children’s hospital foundation partners in each region.”
“Demand is rising, so our long-term focus is to support children’s hospitals in delivering early intervention and crisis prevention programs. Funding will continue to help Canada’s 13 children’s hospitals invest in assessments, treatment spaces, training, and research, using models of care that work in both clinical and community settings,” she added.
“Over the past five years, Empire Company Limited, The Sobey Foundation, andCanada’s Children’s Hospital Foundations (CCHF) have raised and donated $21.7 million in funds and in-kind support to local children’s hospital foundations. Looking ahead, we remain committed to ensuring families can access mental health support through their local children’s hospitals, translating national resources into solutions shaped by each community’s needs.”
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