This story is sponsored by:
This is the central idea behind a fundraising campaign for The Royal, being led by WindReach Consulting Services, an Ottawa-based risk management firm. WindReach's Managing Director, Carmen Abela, is working with her daughter, Kennedy Reid, to raise funds for The Royal and to highlight the power small businesses have to make big differences in their community — particularly around mental health.
Carmen and Kennedy are leading a social media and public awareness campaign that shines a light on local leaders and raises awareness of their collective impact on community resilience and wellness.
Carmen, who also serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for The Royal's Foundation, has long believed businesses have an obligation to give back — whether through time, talent, or financial resources. In celebration of WindReach's 15th year in business, the company launched this campaign with a goal of raising $150,000 from local businesses in support of mental health and addictions treatment at The Royal, enabling more people to reclaim their lives through better access, treatments, and discoveries.
Carmen and Kennedy are collaborating with local firms and hosting a series of conversations on different dimensions of mental health — including the stresses of entrepreneurship and the ways local businesses are contributing to wellness in Ottawa.
"Through these conversations, we're pulling back the curtain on the realities of business ownership, highlighting the impacts of grind culture, the double-edged swords of ambition and perfectionism, as well as many other topics," says Carmen. "But we're also talking about the ways small businesses are driving positive change for their teams, clients and communities by creating safe spaces, delivering wellness-related services and supporting one another as entrepreneurs."
Conversations to date have featured:
Shawn Todd, CEO of ECIVDA Financial Planning Boutique, on men's mental health
Emilie Wilcox, CEO of Emilie Wilcox Coaching, on the costs of "grind culture"
Connor Thomas, Founder of Organic Strength Training Centre, on physical and mental health
Deann Young, President and CEO of Life at Work, on psychologically safe workplaces
Melissa Fournier, Partner at BDO Canada, on women's mental health and perfectionism
Paloma Kinnear, owner of Prancing Paws Ottawa, on community service
To hear more about Carmen and Kennedy’s “why”, have a listen here.
Each company is donating to The Royal, and many have brought additional firms into the fold. Together they've raised half of their $150,000 target. But the involvement goes beyond the financial.
"We've all been impacted by mental illness — either directly or indirectly — and we're not alone," says Carmen. "Through this campaign, we're using our collective voice to reduce stigma and raise awareness of the tremendous work being done at The Royal."
Now they're calling on other local businesses to join them. Between now and June, Carmen and Kennedy are looking to connect with more business leaders who want to be profiled for their contributions and connections to mental health. The campaign wraps up in June with an in-person celebration of Ottawa's small business community.
To get involved or sign up for a conversation, contact Carmen. Secure corporate or individual donations can be made here.
