Sunnybrook’s Family Navigation Project is 100% donor-funded. Your support is crucial.
Sunnybrook’s Family Navigation Project (FNP) is Canada’s largest program and first of its kind, helping youth and their families find the guidance and support they need to thrive mentally and emotionally.
None of this would be possible without the generosity of supporters like you—thank you for making a real difference in the lives of young people.
Susana Rivas, Intake Coordinator, FNP, shares how in this video.
Too many young people are struggling
In Canada, as many as 1.25 million children and youth are affected by mental health conditions, and 3 out of 5 will not receive the care they need. Many young people hesitate to speak up, with stigma often being the biggest barrier. On top of that, navigating the mental health system can be overwhelming, with hundreds of treatment providers, centers, and programs across Ontario.
Your support at RBC Race for the Kids helps improve access to mental health care for youth at Sunnybrook and ensures more young people get the help they need to thrive.
Sunnybrook’s Family Navigation Project (FNP) is a free service that pairs youth aged 11 to 29 who have mental health and/or addictions challenges, and their families, with clinically trained navigators who connect them with the services they urgently need. FNP serves families in the Greater Toronto Area and some communities in Ontario.
About the Family Navigation Project
Since 2013, Sunnybrook’s Family Navigation Project, part of the Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, has been helping youth and their families access the right mental health and related services.
The team works with young people aged 11 to 29 and their families, guiding them through the mental health system to connect with trusted assessments, treatments, and supports when they are needed most.
Beyond mental health and addiction services, FNP builds a broader network of support for youth, collaborating with housing programs, shelters, employment services, advocacy groups, peer networks, and newcomer services. By forging these partnerships, the team is helping create a more complete system of care that meets the diverse needs of young people.
Your support of RBC Race for the Kids makes a real difference. Sunnybrook’s Family Navigation Project (FNP) is Canada’s first-of-its-kind and largest program helping youth and their families navigate mental health and addiction challenges—and it thrives because of generous supporters like you.
Thanks to fundraising efforts like yours, FNP has helped over 6,000 youth and more than 5,000 families access the care and support they need to thrive.
By joining RBC Race for the Kids, you’re not just collecting donations—you’re joining a community dedicated to empowering youth to reach their full potential.
How Kaitlin is Helping Shape Youth Mental Health Care
Thanks to donor support through RBC Race for the Kids, young people like Kaitlin are helping shape the future of youth mental health care
“The YAC gave me the opportunity to find my voice," she says. "I could help address the disconnect between what youth need and what they have access to.”
With the help of Sunnybrook's Family Navigation Project, Jonathan found the support he needed and inspired him to become an advocate for youth well-being.
“My goal is to raise awareness about mental health and help normalize conversations about it,” he says.
