2024 was a significant year for Silver Linings Foundation, marked by meaningful achievements and the creation of new support pathways for the recovery community. We fulfilled a decade-long vision to open Alberta’s first Live-in Recovery Center for eating disorders, in partnership with Recovery Alberta and Edgewood Health Network. This new service addresses a crucial gap, providing treatment for young people ages 12–24 who require 24/7 live-in support. Its creation was driven by a clear community need, yet we recognize that live-in treatment for youth is only one piece of the broader recovery puzzle.
We understand how essential it is to listen closely to our community and we see the value it has in shaping the support and resources we offer. There are many facets of community building: creating environments of care and belonging, listening with curiosity and compassion to people’s needs and responding with relevant and timely opportunities. Over the past few years, we've been deeply engaged in this listening process, and 2024 was the year we began putting many of the insights and recommendations for these efforts into action.
I’m delighted to share some of these highlights from 2024.
Corinne Bergstrom,
Executive Director
Silver Linings Foundation
Broadening the Knowledge Base on Eating Disorders
Our 2023 Community Needs Assessment revealed a critical issue: a significant knowledge gap regarding eating disorders among general practitioners and clinicians in both mental health and medical fields. Many individuals with eating disorders feel clinicians lack the necessary expertise to provide adequate support, and clinicians themselves often feel under-equipped, referring patients to specialists rather than offering direct care.
In 2024 we addressed this gap by developing 'Eating Disorder Informed Care', an online course created in collaboration with the Lionheart Foundation and funded by the City of Calgary's Change Can’t Wait grant. This 11-module course is designed to equip clinicians (anyone working in a care capacity) with the essential knowledge and skills to better support individuals with eating disorders. It draws on the expertise of eight professionals in the eating disorder field, as well as insights from ten community members with lived experience. Certified upon completion, this course will empower clinicians to provide compassionate, informed care that fosters recovery and reduces harm.
You can join our waitlist to be notified when the course officially launches and help improve care for those affected by eating disorders.
Affordability = Access
Many people struggle to find affordable support options that cater to their unique needs, whether they are teens, adults, or parents and loved ones. We continue to offer a diverse range of support groups tailored to different audiences, including teens, adults, and parents and loved ones. We’ve also introduced specialized groups, such as body image, art therapy, and yoga, to offer more personalized support. Affordability and accessibility are still among the most common barriers people face when seeking recovery support. In fact, access-related challenges were the most frequently cited issue (39%) for Calgarians trying to access mental health services, with cost being a factor for 15% of individuals (City of Calgary, Mental Health of Calgarians, June 2024). In 2024 we made subsidies available for all 13 of our support groups, ensuring that cost is no longer a barrier for those who need assistance. By expanding accessibility and providing financial support, we aim to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to receive the care they deserve.
The Value of Lived-Experience
Our peer support program was thoughtfully designed to offer a one-on-one structure that can adapt and shift to meet specific individual needs. This program is one of the most impactful new initiatives we've offered, entirely driven by community demand and ignited by the contributions of volunteer mentors. We consistently hear from mentors how satisfying it is to provide connection, hope, encouragement to their mentees. We continue to recruit and train new cohorts of mentors and look for ways to enhance the experiences of both mentors and mentees. In 2024 that included a recognition event for mentors and learning more about the kinds of connections and activities our mentor/mentee pairs would like to do together. We are consistently receiving positive feedback from mentees about its value. One quote, in particular, stands out as a moving example of how powerful the program truly is:
"I just wanted to reach out and let you know how grateful I am to be matched with Emma as my peer mentor. I like truly look forward to meeting with her every week and she has helped me so much in feeling less alone. I wanted to message you and literally just say how amazing she is as a person and how grateful I am for you and her and this program. She is really truly an amazing inspiration to me so thank you for matching us!”
- Peer Support Mentee
Charting a Recovery Path
For years, parents and individuals have expressed concerns about the lack of access to a dedicated space for eating disorder support with knowledgeable practitioners. In response, we created our Recovery Navigation program. What started as informal guidance has grown to include video appointments with our Recovery Navigator (formerly Community Navigator) in 2023, and in 2024, we were successful in our proposal to the Calgary Foundation to expand this service to offer in-person appointments with a Registered Nurse starting in 2025. These additions will allow individuals to receive medical assessments, personalized case management and supported referrals. All Recovery Navigation services are provided free of charge to ensure that financial barriers do not prevent access to support.
Looking Ahead
We are proud and grateful for the shared accomplishments of 2024: none of it would be possible without support from our community partners, donors and advocates. Our progress in one area sparks new possibilities in another, both fuelling us and reminding us that there is more to be done. As we continue to assess and refine our mission and vision, listening to the community remains at the forefront of our commitments. By staying responsive to community needs, our services can evolve in alignment with ongoing feedback. We are working towards a future where our impact grows, supporting recovery and promoting well-being across the community. We look forward to the opportunities ahead and the positive change we can co-create together in this next phase.