We've all heard about Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday - where we can score some great deals on items that we have been coveting for ourselves or to save money on gifts, support our local businesses, etc.
This year, Canada Helps is launching their first annual "Giving Tuesday Canada" on Tuesday, December 3rd. A day where you support a local charity of your choice - a day to give something to agencies that are working hard to provide you, your family, friends and community with services that benefit in one way or another.
It's very easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, and Giving Tuesday is about taking a step back and thanking those charities with a donation.
Most charities will provide a charitable tax receipt for income tax purposes, although some may have a minimum donation requirement (normally found on their website).
Making a donation to the Distress Centre of Ottawa & Region on Giving Tuesday not only benefits our crisis line services, but the lives and mental health of so many individuals in our communities. Did you know that we answer 40,000 calls for help each year? This number is growing year over year, as the stigma of mental health lessens, and more people are open to speaking to someone about any issue that they are facing. Anything that is affecting your day to day coping skills is worth talking about, since it affects your own mental health in one way or another.
If everyone took $25 that they would normally spend on one of these event days, and donated it to a charity of choice, what a difference that would make for those charities!!!
Making your Giving Tuesday Canada donation to the Distress Centre is easy! Remember to have our Registered Charitable Number: 10807 9815 RR0001
Option 1
If you're not comfortable making a donation online, you can call our office at 613-238-1089 x 223 and speak with our Manager of Operations, Judy, who can process a credit card donation over the phone.
Option 2
You can make your donation by cheque or money order and send it to our office at: Distress Centre of Ottawa & Region, P.O. Box 3457 Station C, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y 4J6
Option 3
You can make your donation online through Canada Helps! Simply follow this link: https://www.canadahelps.org/CharityProfilePage.aspx?CharityID=s11057 You can choose a one time donation, or even set up a monthly donation!
Option 4
Businesses can choose to join our 100 x $100 Challenge on Giving Tuesday! We're searching for 100 businesses to donate $100 each, helping us to raise $10,000 for the Distress Centre! More information can be found here: http://www.dcottawa.on.ca/english/donate/100-x-100-challenge.html or by calling me, Leslie, Community Relations Coordinator at 613-238-1089 x 222.
Giving Tuesday Canada is a great way to give back to your community this year - and we appreciate every penny (nickel? since pennies cease to exist...) that is donated to our Distress Centre!
More information regarding Giving Tuesday Canada can be found here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANMc29x0650&list=PLHnBCF5EEfBu1FlQklaxgWsPV3t5i0ezKlist=PLHnBCF5EEfBu1FlQklaxgWsPV3t5i0ezK&v=JVP9wE_NCu0#t=99
In an effort to reach out to those dealing with mental health illnesses, now & then we will be featuring a guest blog post. These people are dealing with anxiety, depression, bi-polar disorder, stress, and other disturbances to their mental health.
Everyone featured has granted us permission to post on their behalf, to share their stories, their blogs, and hope that you will find solace and comfort in that you are not alone.
Today's post comes from Dysthymic Dad on Twitter. This man has been very brave in battling his Depression and Dysthymia. This blog post comes on a snowy day in Ottawa, which makes the analogy he writes about understandable.
Visit http://dysthymicdad.wordpress.com/ for more blog posts from Dysthymic Dad.
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Depression: Driving Stick-shift, Uphill in Wintry Conditions
My mental health muse must’ve taken a holiday, what with over a month since updating this blog. I kept telling myself I should write another entry, but the motivation / inspiration simply would not materialize. Symptoms of my condition? Mayhaps… Meanwhile, I’ve been filling the “creative” void, 140-characters (or less) at a time… hence why you should follow @DysthymicDad!
But I have been giving some thought as to how I could explain what I’m going through, to those I choose to disclose my condition…to come up with an analogy, a “story”, to explain what Depression feels like. Or at least, what it feels like for me. Being Canadian, you know weather had to factor into the story, somehow!
When first diagnosed with Major Depression and likely dysthymia, I’d been stuck at the bottom of the hill for so long, spinning my wheels in 5th gear, I’d no clue what might lie on the road ahead. At first, the blizzard-like conditions of my depression swirled around me, blinding me to my surroundings. Complete white-out conditions.
What revealed itself to lie ahead was one very steep hill to climb, riddled with unavoidable icy patches. I felt overwhelmed, ill-equipped to weather the wintry storm and topography ahead; I was an old beat-up clunker with balding summer tires, no map and no GPS device. I wasn’t even sure anymore what destination I was trying to reach. My internal On*Star navigation system had completely failed me.
Extended sick leave from a supportive employer allowed me to put some gas in the tank and recharge the battery. With the help of my GP, I equipped myself with winter tires – an anti-depressant called Cipralex – to gain traction on the road to recovery. Both my GP and EAP (Employee Assistance Program) Counsellor were of great assistance in pointing out the destinations that are open to me.
And my Mindfulness practices are the polarized lenses that allow me to notice the individual snowflakes, and see through them as I plod ahead.
I have no illusions that conquering this hill will take time. There are still days where I feel stuck in neutral, all traction lost on an icy patch as I slide backwards. Sometimes my GPS acts up when I hit a pothole. Loosening my white-knuckled death-grip on the steering wheel of anxiety doesn’t always come easy. And there will be times when I may need to call out a tow truck to get me out of the ditch.
But progress is being made, one gear shift at a time. Sometimes I do need to downshift, and I’ve learned to accept that, if not outright welcome those opportunities. I’ve given up on *wishing* that the weather clear up, or a sand/salt truck magically appear ahead of me. The road and weather conditions are what they are.
What drives me now is knowing that I will reach the top of this hill. Maybe not tomorrow, or next week, or next month. But one day, I will reach the summit… and hopefully find a level parking lot where I can do doughnuts to my heart’s content.
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As always, the Distress Centre of Ottawa & Region is here for you, at any time, day or night. You can call us at 613-238-3311 to talk about what you're experiencing. We're here to support you.
Did you know that our phone lines are run completely by volunteers? 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, volunteers are answering the calls from our community. We get calls from people who have had a bad day at work, people who are dealing with relationship problems, have suffered a tragedy in the lives, and calls from people who are contemplating suicide.
We're always recruiting, training, and developing volunteers for the Distress Centre.
Currently, we're accepting applications for our January 2013 training classes. What a great New Year's Resolution for 2013 - deciding to make a difference in the lives of others.
To apply to be a volunteer, you'll need to fill out our Volunteer Application Form, provide us with a Police Record Check, and three references.
The Distress Centre has volunteers that come from all walks of life. They are united by their desire to help their community and provide a lifeline to those in need. Those who get the most out of volunteering are emotionally mature, calm and empathetic individuals.
Do you have the willingness to listen and provide non-judgmental support? Are you able to commit to three (3) shifts per month, including an overnight shift, for one year? Are you applying at a point in your life where you have not experienced any major upheavals or life stressors?
As a volunteer, you can expect an amazing, 59 hour training session, done by our expert trainers in where you'll be taught active listening, stress and crisis management. You will also attend a 2-day LivingWorks ASIST suicide intervention workshop. You'll be provided with a comprehensive training manual.
As mentioned before, as a new volunteer, we expect you a 1 year commitment or 144 total hours, which breaks down to 24 daytime or evening shifts (2 per month) and 12 overnight shifts (1 per month). The 1 year commitment is based on the fact that are providing the training, workshops and ongoing education services free of charge to our volunteers in order to give them the necessary tools and skills they will need once they are on the lines. Our commitment to each other is what will ensure the longevity and success of the Distress Centre.
Shifts are scheduled according to your schedule! We work around you time!
Being a volunteer is incredibly rewarding.
"Being a Distress Centre volunteer has helped me realize how similar we all are. Over a lifetime, we all experience stresses and we should not have to always face these difficulties alone. I have witnessed time and again the benefits that arise from talking about an issue with someone who really listens to your concerns. I believe in the Distress Centre's impact and this is why I volunteer"
If you're interested in becoming a volunteer with the Distress Centre of Ottawa, apply today at www.dcottawa.on.ca and watch what a difference you can make in our community!
Welcome to the Distress Centre of Ottawa & Region's new blog!
You've most likely landed on our blog through our website or from a search engine.
You may be asking yourself, what exactly is the Distress Centre of Ottawa & Region?
We are the people who are here, day or night, 24/7, to answer the calls from those who are reaching out for help. Callers may have simple questions. Or they may be in crisis. Either way, with more than 150 volunteers answering over 37,000 calls a year, we provide an integral, important and vital service in the community.
In short form, we're here to help.
Maybe you landed on our blog, because you're searching for volunteer work in Ottawa.
We count on our volunteers, who have been trained to answer the calls that come in.
We provide training, not only for our own volunteers, but for other groups as well, including colleges and universities, social service agencies, businesses, government departments and police staff. OUr professional trainers, renowed for their expertise and knowledge, have trained on topics as diverse as conflict management, communication skills, stress management, sucicide prevention, crisis intervention and more.
If you're interested in becoming a volunteer for the Distress Centre of Ottawa & Region, your next step is to fill out an application form, which can be found here.
Maybe you landed on this page, because you're just looking for more information in general about crisis, suicide, stress management, or other issues.
You're in luck. Bookmark our blog, because we'll be updating with information from our professionals once a week.
Oh, did I forget to introduce myself?
My name is Leslie, and I am the Community Relations Coordinator here at the Distress Centres of Ottawa & Region. Nice to meet you!
I hope you've gained some knowledge from today's post, and there will be many more to come.
