Letter from the Founder

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Time Out Healing Society recently celebrated its one year anniversary, and I am filled with gratitude for how far we have come together. Our vision to help people learn to live well with complex mental health conditions has taken important steps towards becoming a reality. To support this mission we will create spaces of healing that integrate art, music, mindfulness, nature and community into recovery programs.

This year we built a strong foundation for our work. With the design expertise of Rebecca Rowley, we launched our branding and website. We formed a dedicated board of five committed directors.  In addition to our board, several volunteers regularly join our meetings and contribute their time and ideas. Their support has been invaluable, and from this enthusiasm we have created our first committee—an event committee—to help guide future activities. We are now looking to add people with experience in fundraising, law, or psychology to our team to help guide our growth.

Through the Propel Project at the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business, we had the privilege of working with student Anmol Nijjar. Anmol developed a business plan, researched grant opportunities and venues, and contributed thoughtfully to our board meetings. Her efforts provided valuable support as we planned our next steps. We were very honoured to be named one of the Propel Project’s top sponsors.

We also expanded our presence in the community, attending many networking opportunities and creating social media accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to connect with others in the mental health sector. We hosted two events at Spiritwood Retreat Centre in Priddis that helped bring our vision to life: our January launch with art, music, and mindfulness activities, and a June evening featuring art, nature photography, and music by Intermontane Superterrane (the Garrison Trio).

In August, we achieved charitable status—a milestone that will strengthen our ability to build sustainable programs and partnerships.

Looking forward, we will publish this quarterly newsletter and a monthly blog, apply for grants, and begin a participatory action research project with people who have lived experience. This work will guide us as we refine our programming and prepare to pilot our first program.

Thank you for your support during this first year. It has made a real difference in helping us move from vision to action.

Sincerely,
Leah Bowen
Founder, Time Out Healing Society