For the past four years, CAMH has led a collaboration to provide a new model of care and treatment for young people experiencing psychosis and bipolar disorder throughout Ontario. The innovative model, called NAVIGATE, recently received generous support from the Toor Family Foundation.
The Toors, who run Toronto-based Manga Hotels, launched their family foundation in 2019 with the goal to support health and wellness causes. This included a generous gift to CAMH to put young people experiencing early psychosis and bipolar disorder on the path to recovery.
Powered by early intervention, NAVIGATE has been creating hope for young patients and their loved ones since its launch in 2017. It operates from CAMH’s Slaight Family Centre for Youth in Transition and uses a comprehensive approach that also includes treatments to reduce symptoms, a family education program, resiliency training and counselling to help young people pursue their education and employment goals.
“We aim to support CAMH, as leaders in research and clinical practice, in providing comprehensive and innovative care for patients. NAVIGATE is an especially exciting program which we’re privileged to contribute to,” said Sukhdev Toor, President & CEO of Manga Hotels.
Sukhdev and his wife, Sukhjit, relocated to Canada from India nearly 40 years ago and started their family and business here. To them, it was important to support the country that has provided them with so many opportunities. They say they arrived in Canada with an ethos to work hard and give back.
“As entrepreneurs and business leaders, we’ve always supported the local communities where we lived and worked,” said Sukhdev. “Now, through the Toor Family Foundation, we aim to deepen our commitment to support and strengthen those in need. In identifying CAMH as a leader in its field and contributing to its groundbreaking work in mental health, we are not only giving back but also investing in our collective future.”
The Toors are also enthusiastic about contributing to the evolution of mental health advocacy for all groups, including South Asians.
“We hope to inspire others in our community, particularly South Asians, to prioritize mental health and encourage them to give philanthropically to this area,” Sukhdev added. “According to recent statistics, people of South Asian origin are 85 percent less likely to seek treatment for mental illness than those who identify as white. It is important that we collectively work to reduce stigma by eliminating barriers to accessing and seeking out mental health care and treatment. Supporting efforts that provide comprehensive mental health care, such as programs like NAVIGATE at CAMH, is one step toward such a goal and your contribution can make a meaningful and lasting impact.”