Fundraiser helps community mental health support in Sudbury

A cheque was presented to the Northern Initiative for Social Action, also known as NISA, on Thursday. It was money raised in the Defeat Depression Walk held back in May at Bell Park.

NISA is an organization that offers community mental health support and programs and peer-to-peer connections.

"We offer peer support. We do social support, art based learning art based recovery. We offer support on the phones when everything else is closed and people might be isolated and have mental health concern they can call in and do support with a peer," Martin Boucher, the executive director of NISA, told CTV News.

The Mood Disorders Society of Canada was on hand for the cheque presentation. Defeat Depression is a major national fundraiser for the non-profit that supports smaller community-based community mental health organizations like NISA.

"Individuals with mental illness need this kind of support and so across Canada we need to have some kind of an idea of how do we support these groups? How can we come together and let the federal government know and provincial government know the importance of small mental health organizations and the work that they do," Ken Porter, the national program manager with Mood Disorders Society of Canada, said.

Officials said there is great benefit in peer support that is offered at NISA with members all having lived experience with mental health challenges or illness.

"Human connection is important because mental illness has a tendency to make you feel isolated and it makes you feel like you are alone it makes you feel like you are disconnected from society," Porter said.

NISA believes in active recovery rather than passive dependence on community services, according to officials.

To learn more about NISA visit their website.