
Regina, Saskatchewan, February 13, 2025 – The Do More Agriculture Foundation is pleased to open the 2025 Community Fund for rural mental health education. Proudly presented by Farm Credit Canada (FCC), the Community Fund empowers rural communities across Canada to create space for mental health conversations for learning, hope and change. When more people understand mental health, communities build better health outcomes for everyone.
Applications for the Community Fund are open until March 2, 5:00 p.m. CST.
“FCC’s steadfast and bold commitment to support rural community action for mental health is inspiring,” stated Dr. Merle Massie (PhD), Executive Director of The Do More Agriculture Foundation.
“Communities have told us, again and again, what happens at these events. 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,” said Massie.
“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”, said 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 is excited by FCC’s commitment to increase its support which will allow more communities to champion mental health learning workshops than ever before. Last year, 140 communities applied for funding, showcasing a strong need across Canada for more mental health learning at the community level.
As the program grows, there is learning, including for Do More Ag. “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,” said Massie.
While communities are a top priority, The Do More Agriculture Foundation thinks about ‘community’ broadly. It welcomes champions from agriculture associations, small industries tied to agriculture, financial and accounting businesses, pharmacies and hardware stores, faith communities, rural governments and health care businesses and any other community-based champion to lead these events.
“We are so proud of Canadian agricultural communities. The number of communities who 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 added.
Program offerings include the popular Talk Ask Listen and In the Know sessions, SafeTALK suicide support workshops, and intensive Mental Health First Aid training. A peer-to-peer grief support group will continue. The Field of Mind men’s mental health support sessions will expand in 2025. Specialized AgCulture courses will continue to provide mental health professionals with an in-depth understanding of the specific challenges unique to the agricultural sector.
The fund welcomes applications from across Canada. For further details and to submit applications, please visit The Do More Agriculture Foundation at www.domore.ag/community-fund.