The Do More Agriculture Foundation has announced the opening of the 2025 Community Fund for rural mental health education, supported by Farm Credit Canada (FCC).
The initiative aims to empower rural communities across Canada to foster conversations surrounding mental health, ultimately leading to learning, hope, and positive change.
Applications for the Community Fund are open until March 2 at 5:00 p.m. CST.
“FCC’s steadfast and bold commitment to support rural community action for mental health is inspiring,” says Dr. Merle Massie (PhD), Executive Director of The Do More Agriculture Foundation in a recent press release.
The foundation has heard repeatedly from communities about the impact of these initiatives.
“They’ll say: ‘My community is leaving with new skills and a better understanding of how to support our peers. I’m proud to see this kind of change in our community.’ When communities tell us that it’s helping, we just want to do more,” Massie says.
“Mental health supports are a critical component in building strong and resilient rural communities. That’s why FCC is proud to be a longstanding partner of the Do More Agriculture Foundation and the Community Fund,” says Justine Hendricks, FCC President and CEO. “Providing tools, education, and support that foster mental health and resilience go a long way in a farm’s success and in the vitality of rural communities. This partnership underscores FCC’s commitment to the mental health of Canadian farm families.”
The Do More Agriculture Foundation anticipates increased support from FCC to expand mental health learning workshops in communities. Last year, 140 communities applied for funding, highlighting a significant demand for mental health education at the community level.
“Communities say that shame and fear can stop people from signing up for workshops. We are building additional resources for community champions, to help them touch and welcome a wide variety of people,” Massie says.
The foundation expands its definition of “community” to include agriculture associations, small businesses linked to agriculture, and rural governments, among others. “We are so proud of Canadian agricultural communities. The number of communities that have applied for and hosted workshops with us has grown year over year, showcasing a growing appetite for communities to actively find ways to improve mental health,” Massie says.
Program offerings include popular sessions like Talk Ask Listen, SafeTALK suicide support workshops, and intensive Mental Health First Aid training. A peer-to-peer grief support group will continue, and the Field of Mind men’s mental health support sessions will expand in 2025. Specialized AgCulture courses will also continue to help mental health professionals better understand the unique challenges in agriculture.
