The holiday season is all about love – will you help spread it?

The Richmond Foundation has launched its Gift of Hope initiative, appealing for the general public to help provide essential mental health services to those who need it most.

 

 

“This year, Richmond Foundation, is once again appealing to the Maltese public for help, to ensure that it can continue to sustain its services, which offer hope to those suffering from mental health issues”. 

– Stephania Dimech Sant, CEO of Richmond Foundation

 

 

A children’s residential service (KIDs), adult residential services, a helpline, a professional online chat, and a wide range of therapy treatments are just a few of Richmond’s 11 community mental health services.

 

 

The World Health Organization estimates that 120,000 people in Malta were dealing with mental health issues prior to the pandemic. The pandemic was no help to these numbers, leading to a further increase to these numbers, experienced  through the number of people reaching out to Richmond for help.

 

 

Richmond recorded 7 times as many calls to their helpline 1770 , double the demand for therapy, an increase of 57 % in OLLI chats, and an increase of a whopping 97 % in brief interventions or follow up sessions. Hence, Richmond needs assistance in order to maintain these services, and the growth they are generating.

 

 

Here’s where you come in; for nonprofit organizations like Richmond, rising demand for services translates into rising costs, including an increase in salaries and other service expenses. Richmond Foundation CEO stated that “In order to sustain the level of services that we currently offer, and to address the continually increasing demand, it is estimated that Richmond will need €400,000”.

 

 

Through this financial support, Richmond will manage to keep to their commitment in offering hope to those who reach out to them.

Go to www.richmond.org.mt or click here to give the gift of hope this festive season