St. Thomas, ON – January 31, 2024
The St. Thomas Police Service is thrilled to announce its selection as a recipient of a generous grant from the Great-EST Needs Fund within the Elgin-St. Thomas Community Foundation. This significant grant will directly contribute to the enhancement of mental health and overall wellness initiatives for our dedicated members.
Chief of Police Marc Roskamp expressed his gratitude regarding this significant development, stating, “I am pleased to announce that we have been chosen as a recipient of a grant from the Great-EST Needs Fund within Elgin-St. Thomas Community Foundation. I have met with the Foundation’s Executive Director, Natasha Newby and her Board of Directors on several occasions in recent months to discuss ways that a donation could support the wellness of our members. The Foundation was very receptive to the notion that a donation would enhance mental health and wellbeing and provide a specific mobile application tool (PeerConnect) for our members to better connect to health programming and resources whenever and wherever they need it.”
The PeerConnect mobile application, made possible through this grant, serves as a proactive platform facilitating structured mental health and wellness conversations among every member of our organization. This innovative tool aims to reduce stigma and anxiety while normalizing the process of seeking support. PeerConnect customizes individual, curated, and trusted peer connections, ensuring immediate coordination of care.
Chief Roskamp reiterated the department’s unwavering commitment to the wellness of its members, stating, “This is yet another example of our ongoing commitment to the wellness of our members. As promised, this remains a top priority, and all members and their families will benefit from another tool that modernizes connections to care.”
The St. Thomas Police Service extends its heartfelt gratitude to the Great-EST Needs Fund and the Elgin-St. Thomas Community Foundation for their generous support in advancing mental health and wellness initiatives.
