QUEBEC CITY, Nov. 1, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - iA Financial Group reveals the ten Canadian mental health organizations in the running to receive the grand $125,000 donation, to be decided by a public vote in their second annual Canada-wide philanthropic contest.

Dozens of organizations from all across Canada have responded to iA Financial Group's call and since September they have been sending in their proposals that aim to treat people living with mental health problems, or improve their quality of life. As of now, the public can go to http://www.ia.ca/contest-ia-donations and vote for the two submissions they find the most inspiring.

Almost $300,000 will be distributed to the ten finalist organizations, including a donation of $125,000 for the organization that receives the most votes, $50,000 each for second and third place, and $10,000 each for the remaining seven organizations. The winners will be announced on December 11th.

The 10 finalist organizations and their propositions

1. FamilySmart, VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA
   FamilySmart (The Institute of Families) works to improve the quality of support services offered to youth experiencing mental health challenges and their families. The FamilySmart – For Youth Mental Health program will extend the services offered to more families in need.
2. Charlford House Foundation, BURNABY, BRITISH COLUMBIA
   With the mission to provide women with a safe, healthy and caring environment in which to experience recovery from drugs or alcohol, the financial boost from iA Financial Group will allow Charlford House to modernize and increase its capacity from 15 to 24 beds.
3. Ripple Connection Support Centre, BARRHEAD, ALBERTA
   Financial support from iA Financial Group will allow the Centre to improve its facilities to offer more programs, support groups and information for people living with mental illness and their caregivers.
4. Direct Action in Support of Community Homes, WINNIPEG, MANITOBA
   DASCH helps people with living with developmental disabilities to reach their full potential. The donation will be used to implement ten multisensory rooms shown to improve mood and reduce anxiety for people with developmental disabilities or autism.
5. Massey Centre for Women, TORONTO, ONTARIO 
   The Massey Centre's mission is to support vulnerable pregnant and parenting adolescents. The organization hopes to use iA Financial Group's donation to implement the Baby Love program to offer preventive intervention for up to 100 young mothers and their babies.
6. Pathstone Foundation, ST. CATHARINES, ONTARIO
   This organization works to make sure that no child in the Niagara region has to wait more than 30 days to receive mental health treatment. The financial support will be used to increase service hours and the number of days they are open as well as to hire permanent staff for their new walk-in clinic.
7. Griffin Centre Mental Health Services, TORONTO, ONTARIO
   This organization, whose mission is to support young people with mental health challenges in the community, will launch the Worth Living For Youth project which will provide support through suicide prevention, intervention and postvention.
8. Canadian Mental Health Association | Swift Current Branch, SWIFT CURRENT, SASKATCHEWAN
   With its program There's a million Bobby's, CMHA Swift Current aims to provide more services to socially isolated people, primarily young adults, by increasing their opening hours and creating an attractive program for these target clients.
9. Centre prévention suicide de Kamouraska-Rivière-du-Loup-Témiscouata-Les-Basques, RIVIÈRE-DU-LOUP, QUEBEC
   This financial support will allow the suicide prevention centre to hire a social worker for their Taking Action to Improve Farmer wellbeing program which will travel around the area to meet with agricultural producers and help them with psychological distress.
10. Communautés solidaires, QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC
    The financial support from iA Financial Group will allow this organization to add three field workers to the Optimized Entraid'aînés program team which provides home-based intervention for seniors experiencing psychological distress or mental health challenges.

ABOUT IA FINANCIAL GROUP
Founded in 1892, iA Financial Group is one of the largest insurance and wealth management companies in Canada, with operations in the United States. It is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol IAG.

iA Financial Group is a business name and trademark of Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc.

SOURCE Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc.

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