South Country Co-op Mental Health Support Fund
Z7_3H1C1OC0M84430QKCH000N0G40
South Country Co-op Mental Health Support Fund
Actions
South Country Co-op Mental Health Support Fund
December 3, 2025
What is the Co-op Communities in Mind Campaign?
Communities in Mind is a collaborative initiative launched in 2020 to address growing mental health needs in rural Alberta. Each February, five Alberta Co-ops—South Country Co-op, Central Alberta Co-op, New Horizon Co-op, Westview Co-op, and Cornerstone Co-op—join forces to lead a province-wide campaign focused on raising awareness, reducing stigma, and funding programs that create meaningful mental health outcomes. Through in-store till donations and community engagement, the campaign has raised nearly $300,000 since its inception, with all funds distributed locally each year within each local Co-op's trading area.
Campaign Period:
From February 9th — February 23rd, all South Country Co-op locations will be collecting at the till donations. When you make a donation, you will receive a heart to write your name on and these will be displayed at each location.
Application Period:
The Communities in Mind application opens annually on April 1 till May 31.
All submissions are reviewed and evaluated by the South Country Co-op Brand Team to ensure alignment with our commitment to supporting mental health initiatives in our communities.
Our funding priority areas include:
— Mental Health Programs and Initiatives
Provide hands-on tools and resources for community members (individuals and families) including workshops and programs, opportunities that support community engagement, and coping tools
— Education and Awareness
Reconnect with the local community to help increase awareness of programs and engage with community members so that they feel more knowledgeable about accessing services and mental health care.
— Patient Support and Family Engagement
— Prevention and Early Intervention — focusing on children and youth
Who is Eligible for Support?
✅ Registered non-profit or charitable organizations
✅ Community and youth groups
✅ Project that supports services, development of new programs and reach out to more individuals facing mental health and addiction challenges.
✅ Organizations operating within South Country Co-op’s trading area
Funds Are NOT to be Used For:
❌ Annual operating costs
❌ Physical items or facility enhancements such as tables, chairs, light bulbs, artwork etc.
Examples of Previously Funded Programs
— Kickstand Centre; Co-op Coffee Corner
The Co-op Coffee Corner is a hub for youth inside the Kickstand Centre. A comfortable place for them to unwind either before or after accessing all the programing that they offer. Programing and services include, but is not limited to mental health and substance counseling, employment services, physical and sexual healthcare, peer support and more!
— Move Your Mood Program
Mental health program for children and youth through play and mindfulness.
— Youth Coping Toolkits
Includes items such as fidget toys, stress balls, journal, mindfulness cards, affirmation cards, clay, meditation beads etc.
— Transform through Nature
Outdoor activities for youth to reduce anxiety and depression.
— An Influential Generation
Training students to educate peers about vaping harms.
— Wellness Conferences
— Helpline Magnets
If your organization or group could use the funds from this community campaign, please fill out the application form.
Note: Applications will only be accepted between April 1 — May 31 each year. The amount of funding that South Country Co-op will have to distribute will depend on the amount raised by till donations, which will be collected from all South Country Co-op sites February 9th — February 23rd.
