Andrew Teel's
TWOONIES FOR TEENS
Every year, Coast Mental Health celebrates courage, compassion and humility at the Courage To Come Back Awards. Andrew Teel received the Courage To Come Back Award in the Youth Category in 2020.
A few words from Andrew....
When I was little I was always in survival mode and I couldn't even imagine having the life that I have today. I am so lucky that I found my forever family. With their love and support I was able to become physically and mentally healthy. When I realized that there were youth just like me who were struggling alone, I knew I had to do something. I created Twoonies for Teens with the goal of collecting $100 and with the hope of supporting vulnerable youth in some small way. I didn't anticipate that so many people would join me. Together, we were able to help in a much bigger way and now some of those youth have an opportunity for a better life.
I was totally surprised to be chosen as a Coast Mental Health, Courage to Come Back Award recipient. I am honored and very grateful. Coast brings so much positive change to the world and I hope you will join me in supporting them.
Thank you,
Andrew
About Coast Mental Health
The statistic is familiar: one in five Canadians will be impacted by mental illness in their lifetimes. For some, the illness will be so severe that it tears apart their lives. Young people drop out of school. Professionals lose their jobs. Isolation, addiction and homelessness are the result, often long before an illness can even be diagnosed.
A not-for-profit organization, Coast Mental Health has been helping British Columbians with mental illness find the courage to recover since 1972. We create a framework for community-based mental health care by providing the three essential pillars of sustained recovery:
• Housing
• Support Services
• Employment & Education
Working side-by-side with Coast’s team of counsellors, social workers, nurses and therapists, the people we serve – our clients – set their own goals and are given the support to achieve them. Clients also play a key role in the overall success of the organization, whether as peer support workers, members and volunteers at our Clubhouse or Resource Centre, or part of our governance board or Planning & Partnership committee.
For forty-five years, we have been working with clients, donors and other government and non-government partners to build communities where people living with mental illness can thrive. The results are richer lives for our clients, a reduction in the stigmas surrounding mental illness, and reduced burdens on our health care and justice systems.
Together, every day we prove that recovery from serious mental illness is possible.
293 East 11th Avenue,
Vancouver, BC V5T 2C4
Phone 604-872-3502
Fax 604-879-2363
Toll-Free 1-877-602-6278
Charitable Registration Number: 86150 8018 RR0001
