Mission
The Recovery Project Foundation has the mission of raising awareness for eating disorders and other mental health issues while providing those struggling with an opportunity to get the help and resources they need and deserve.
Urgency
Eating Disorders have the highest overall mortality rate of any mental illness (Statistics Canada, 2016), with approximately 1 million Canadians having a diagnosed Eating Disorder (Statistics Canada, 2016), although the number is much higher than documented. To read more about the impact of Eating Disorders on Canadians, please visit the website linked below.
What we do
The Recovery Project Foundation advocates for mental health by helping to defray medical expenses for treatments of eating disorders, alongside other mental illnesses, to individuals who have a demonstrated need for financial assistance, i.e., low income evidenced by tax returns or being on government assistance, in Canada. Funding will be available for treatments recognized by Health Canada and administered by licensed medical practitioners at eating disorder treatment centers in Canada.
Why we do it
The Recovery Project started because eating disorders in Canada are far too common. So much so that the Canadian public healthcare system does not have sufficient resources to effectively support the number of people struggling with eating disorders. This both limits the opportunity to recover and lengthens the amount of time one has to live with the disorder. For those fortunate enough, private healthcare can be an opportunity for recovery, however is not an option for most people due to its expenses. In knowing this, The Recovery Project strives to give as many people as possible the opportunity of private healthcare by collecting donations from local supporters.
Public Care
Various hospitals across Canada have seen up to 90% spikes in referrals to eating disorder programs over the past year (CBC, 2021), indicating a much-needed increase in resources. However, even before the spike in recent years, resources and treatment programs for those struggling with eating disorders were limited. The current wait times for treatment can be over 12 months in some locations, with no expectation to shorten anytime soon. These wait times can be detrimental to the health and recovery of those needing it, as living with an eating disorder can lead to fatal consequences
Private Care
Privately-run eating disorder treatment centres can provide the resources and care needed for efficient and effective eating disorder treatment, with minimal wait times. However, the expense of paying for private treatment is substantial. Most people do not have the financial ability to be able to afford the cost of these programs, as they can be up to $30,000 per month for the appropriate level of care (Toulany et al., 2015).
COVID-19
The effects of COVID-19 on eating disorders (as well as other mental illnesses) have been immense. Not only has this changed the routine of going for in-person treatment, but it has changed the routine of everything! Most treatment is not done in person anymore and is instead done remotely. While the simplicity of receiving treatment at home and in a comfortable space can be helpful to a degree, there are limited benefits to the virtual model when treating eating disorders, and they have still spiked during the pandemic (CBC, 2021).
Get involved
Volunteer!
Donate!
Apply!
Want to make a positive impact in the eating disorder community? It really is as simple as making a donation. Visit our "Donate" page to learn about our donation opportunities. We appreciate all the help you can provide and guarantee that it will be put to excellent use. Contact us to learn more about what we do with the donations we receive.
Are you looking to get involved with The Recovery Project Foundation? We’d love to receive your help in supporting those recover from eating disorders. Contact us or visit our "Volunteer" page to learn about volunteer opportunities.
In need of financial support for your eating disorder recovery? We are here to help! Visit our "Apply" page to learn more about how we can help you.