BentallGreenOak is signifying its commitment to community mental health and wellness with a $108,000 donation to Kids Help Phone, a 24/7 counselling service for Canadian youth. The commercial real estate owner/manager also plans to build awareness and support the outreach of Kids Help Phone programs throughout its portfolio of more than 60 million square feet of office, retail, industrial and multifamily residential space.

“The opportunity for BentallGreenOak to partner with Kids Help Phone on a national scale is a true privilege that connects our employees, tenants and residents, clients and partners to a cause that is incredibly close to our hearts,” notes Keith Major, managing partner and head of Canadian real estate management with BentallGreenOak.

Kids Help Phone provides free confidential counselling in English or French at any hour of the day and across various digital mediums. It has recently introduced service options in additional languages including Ukrainian, Russian, Pashto, Dari, Mandarin, Arabic, Plains Cree and Ojibwe. BentallGreenOak’s inaugural donation is drawn both from its corporate philanthropy program, BGO Inspired, and the contributions of its office and industrial tenants, and represents the beginning of an envisioned multi-year collaboration with the service provider.

“We are so grateful that the community of BGO stakeholders responded through a year-end donation that will support our e-mental health services and programs,” says Jenny Yuen, senior vice president, national partnerships and government relations, with Kids Help Phone. “BGO is helping us reach deep into communities through physical and digital spaces, where young people and caring adults live, work and congregate.”