Thank You Manmeet Singh Bhullar Foundation

 

“The greatness of humanity, the greatness instilled in every human being, the greatness of serving is to be realized and developed. That is my hope, that is my dream.”

Manmeet Singh Bhullar

The Manmeet Singh Bhullar Foundation is built on the principles expressed by a beloved and missed son, brother, husband, friend and proponent of inclusivity and kindness.

As an avid volunteer and Alberta MLA, Manmeet dedicated his platform to building community, his time to instilling optimism in Calgary youth, and his voice to reach out and place power in societal issues. His legacy continues to shine through his family members that work hard to showcase the values Manmeet lived by—seva, integrity, humility, teamwork and creativity—as well as his pride in diversity and inclusion, making history himself, as the youngest and first turbaned Sikh Cabinet Minister in Canada.

To further his legacy within the community, the Manmeet Singh Bhullar Park located along the Rotary-Mattamy Greenway in Taradale and the Manmeet Singh Bhullar public school located in Martindale are daily reminders of his contribution to our city and an inspiration to future leaders.

In honour of Manmeet’s 40th birthday, the Manmeet Singh Bhullar Foundation selected Calgary charities that advocate and align with Manmeet’s passions for community and prosperity to receive grant money. CMHA Calgary will be receiving $9,000 from the foundation and will use the grant towards a youth community peer support training initiative.

Manmeet’s elder sister, Tarjinder, says the foundation based their grant program off of Manmeet’s belief of the need to provide opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive.

“When we set out to mark Manmeet’s 40th Birthday through a grant program, we wanted to find organizations that spoke to the vision of the Manmeet Singh Bhullar Foundation; empowering people to unite, inspire, and serve, which inherently reflects the character of our namesake. Through this CMHA initiative, we saw that by building individual capacity, we would be increasing capacity in our community.”

“We see that life can be challenging for each and every one of us, in different ways and at different times. For us, it is not about if you will have challenges with your mental health, it’s about when.”

Tarjinder | Manmeet Singh Bhullar Foundation

Selecting CMHA Calgary as a recipient of the grant program reflects the prominence Manmeet placed on both mental health and the wellbeing of his community.

“Manmeet understood so deeply [in] the importance of mental health and he wanted to normalize the conversations about struggles/topics that many others may want to avoid. Mental health is one of those topics. Supporting CMHA [Calgary] through this program also continues his legacy of championing the success of young people, advocating for supports and understanding that through talking, we can learn, we can heal.”

Destigmatizing mental health is a component of the Manmeet Singh Bhullar Foundation that they want to emphasize, as it was Manmeet’s mission to redirect and change the negative perspective that has been placed on mental health and mental illness.

“We see that life can be challenging for each and every one of us, in different ways and at different times. So, when that moment comes, we should be able to access supports and talk openly about the need to prioritize our mental health. We also know that Manmeet made tireless efforts towards bring attention to causes and shedding stigma. That will continue to be a way for us to honour him through the work of our foundation.”

In her spare time, Tarjinder focuses on learning and practicing self-care in the most healthiest way possible.

“Deep breaths in and deep breaths out, happen quite often! I am fortunate to have access to a therapist. It pains me to know that is not the case for everyone. Ongoing therapy is now part of my life. Beyond that, I must admit I look to escape through reading and mindless TV. Never a nature person in the past, I do now find great comfort from the simplicity of being outside and the sun on my face.”

Our Peer Support program services can be accessed over the phone at 403-297-1402 or through email at peer@cmha.calgary.ab.ca. We have teamed up with other Calgary agencies to help Calgarians quickly and easily access various counselling and social supports. Visit www.communityconnectyyc.ca, where you can book online for our Suicide Bereavement and Family Support Counselling, and other supports. If you prefer to still book through us, please phone (403-297-1708), or email (counsellingintake@cmha.calgary.ab.ca).