‘Open Your Heart’ supports Family Navigation Project

Open Your Heart is a new initiative that pairs one-of-a-kind jewelry with charity. Developed by Toronto marketing professional Shelley Goldenberg, Open Your Heart features several sizes of sterling silver hearts – each heart a little different – on a necklace or bracelet. A portion of the proceeds from each heart purchased is donated to the Family Navigation Project at Sunnybrook.

“Hearts are universally loved,” says Goldenberg. “We love to buy something indulgent for ourselves, and we also love to give back. Here is something you can wear as a symbol of your support for the Family Navigation Project.”

The Family Navigation Project is an innovative new service at Sunnybrook that helps youth aged 13 to 26 who are suffering from mental illness and/or addiction find the help they need in a confusing system of services. The project matches families with system navigators who guide them towards timely, appropriate resources and stay connected with them throughout the care journey. There is no cost to families.

In just over a year of operation, the Family Navigation Project, which is funded solely by private donors, has helped change the lives of more than 500 families. The goal is to expand this service over time and to create a model for navigation that can be exported throughout Canada.

Goldenberg heard about the project from a friend whose son struggled with depression and anxiety. He and his family had bounced around in the system for years, desperate for help. The teen’s mother, eager to help other families connect with the right services, became one of the founding parents of the Family Navigation Project.

“The Family Navigation Project is a brilliant creation that helps families in need. We are delighted to be supporting it,” says Goldenberg.

For more information on Open Your Heart, see http://www.hearts.care/

To contact the Family Navigation Project, call 1-800-380-9FNP (1-800-380-9367) or email familynavigation@sunnybrook.ca