$1M from Co-operators Powers Kids Help Phone Peer-to-Peer Community for Youth Across Canada

New funding expands support and connection from coast to coast to coast 

TORONTO (ON), May 28, 2025 – Kids Help Phone (KHP) is proud to announce that with a renewed commitment Co-operators has reached $1M in support of youth through KHP’s Feel Out Loud movement — Canada’s largest movement for youth mental health. This latest contribution will help expand access to essential support and services for young people across the country.   

This commitment builds on Co-operators legacy of supporting youth mental health for more than three decades. As a founding donor of KHP’s 24/7 texting service and the Peer-to-Peer Community, Co-operators has been instrumental in driving forward some of KHP’s most impactful mental health innovations. 

This transformative investment will support the Peer-to-Peer Community, empowering youth from coast-to-coast-coast with a safe, co-created, youth-led online space to explore and let their feelings out. KHP staff and Peer-to-Peer moderators will also explore innovative approaches to maximize the impact of the platform, ensuring even more young people across Canada feel safe, supported, and heard as they engage with the Peer-to-Peer Community. 

In 2024, the Peer-to-Peer Community platform had a record 301,693 interactions, marking a 15% increase in volume compared to 2023, and the highest number of interactions since its launch in 2021. 

As a core component of KHP’s vision for a more personalized and equitable e-mental health ecosystem, the Peer-to-Peer Community helps ensure youth can access the support they deserve in the ways that work best for them. 

“Co-operators latest investment in KHP’s services is a powerful example of the lasting impact that comes from a strong, long-term partnership,” said Susan Morris, Interim President & Co-CEO, KHP. “Their ongoing generosity has helped us create safe, inclusive spaces where young people can turn to one another for connection and hope. We are incredibly grateful for their unwavering commitment to youth mental health.”   

“Young people deserve mental health support that’s accessible, inclusive, and designed with them in mind,” said Shawna Peddle, Associate Vice-President, Citizenship at Co-operators. “We’re honoured to support KHP’s Feel Out Loud movement and the Peer-to-Peer Community, ensuring more young people have safe spaces to feel heard, supported, and empowered to navigate life’s challenges.” 

Together, KHP and Co-operators are building a more supportive, connected future where all young people in Canada have the opportunity to grow stronger, together. 

FAST FACTS 

• Since the start of 2020, KHP has had more than 22 million interactions with service users across Canada
• Over the last 4 years, the number of youth aged 13 and under who have contacted KHP about suicide has more than doubled. 
• 75% of service users tell KHP something they’ve never told anyone before. 
• 80% of texters said they felt less upset after their conversation with KHP. 

About Kids Help Phone  

Kids Help Phone (KHP) is Canada’s only 24/7, free, confidential, and multilingual e-mental health solution. Whether through professional counselling, crisis response, or self-directed mental health resources, KHP has been a trusted space for youth for over 35 years. No matter the feeling or issue, big or small, KHP empowers young people to Feel Out Loud and access support whenever they need it most. KHP knows that young people and the issues they are facing are changing faster than ever. That’s why innovation is more than what we do – it’s who we are: a global leader in youth mental health that blends technology with empathy to better serve youth. KHP gratefully relies on the generosity of donors, volunteers, stakeholder partners, corporate partners and governments to unlock the hope young people need to thrive in their worlds. Join us at kidshelpphone.ca.  

About Co-operators 

Proudly Canadian since 1945, Cooperators is a leading financial services co-operative, offering multi-line insurance and investment products, services, and personalized advice to help Canadians build their financial strength and security. With more than $72 billion in assets under administration, Cooperators is well known for its community involvement and its commitment to sustainability. Currently a carbon neutral organization, Co-operators is committed to net-zero emissions in its operations and investments by 2040, and 2050, respectively. Cooperators is recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers and ranked as one of Corporate Knights’ Best 50 Corporate Citizens in Canada. For more information, please visit: www.cooperators.ca. 

For more information, please contact:  

Kids Phone Communications Team 

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Email: [email protected]