On November 7, The Mustard Seed celebrated a $10,000 grant from the Bell Let’s Talk Community Fund. The grant will support The Mustard Seed’s Indigenous Wellness Program, “Culture as Good Medicine: Indigenous Wellness and Healing Through a Traditional Wellness Approach.”
In Calgary, 30% of The Mustard Seed’s clients identify as Indigenous, and many struggle with mental health issues. The program incorporates traditional Indigenous healing methods to help clients restore balance in their mind, body, spirit, and emotion. The program is led by Randi Sager, The Mustard Seed’s Indigenous Provisional Registered Psychologist, who herself is Lakota and Nêhiyaw. Clients will participate in individual and group counselling sessions using traditional practices such as ribbon skirt making, drum making, dreamcatcher making, and beading.
“One can experience wellness and healing through cultural engagement,” said Randi. “By doing so, it results in clients having harmony and balance within themselves, therefore empowering clients to make positive changes in their lives. I believe that culture saves lives.”
“Bell Let’s Talk is pleased to support The Mustard Seed as they increase access to culturally specific mental health treatment for Indigenous clients experiencing homelessness or poverty,” said Mary Deacon, Chair of Bell Let’s Talk. “Through the Bell Let’s Talk Community Fund, we are helping over 120 organizations across Canada this year, like The Mustard Seed, that are working hard to deliver innovative programs that make a difference for people in their communities living with mental health issues.”
With Bell’s funding, The Mustard Seed will provide 650 people experiencing homelessness with culturally specific mental health supports in Calgary. Since the program started in 2018, The Mustard Seed has worked with over 833 Indigenous clients, averaging 52 meaningful interactions per month.
From the entire Mustard Seed family, thank you to Bell Let’s Talk for helping us expand our Indigenous Wellness Program to help our clients continue on their healing journey.
