The team at Sutton Group Incentive Realty in Barrie, Ont. held a community barbecue recently at their Minet’s Point Road office to benefit children requiring care at the Royal Victoria Hospital.

“We had an excellent turnout and raised close to $1,000 for the department at the Royal Victoria Hospital that treats kids who have depression and mental illnesses,” says Bill Kindou, broker of record. “This topic doesn’t get the same attention as cancer, for example, but mental health has a major impact on individuals and communities.”

News of the charitable barbecue spread quickly through Barrie. “We had all sorts of people from other real estate companies drop by. Even staff members from the City of Barrie were calling each other about how wonderful our food table was,” says Kindou.

The Royal Victoria Hospital is the largest hospital in the Simcoe-Muskoka region with 380 physicians, 2,500 employees and 850 volunteers caring for almost half a million residents. The hospital provides many services including intensive care, stroke services, radiology, orthopaedics and treatment for mental health.

Youth are particularly vulnerable to mental health and addiction issues. Family breakdown, peer pressures, body issues and the new responsibilities of growing up can be difficult. Early treatment can change lives for the better.