Sun Life donates over $1.1 million to Ukraine war relief efforts

Sun Life donates $200,000 to the Canadian Red Cross and UNHCR. Donations top $1,100,000. For a limited time, anyone in Canada can access online CBT. Interactive toolkits reduce stress and anxiety. iCBT is available 24/7 and anywhere with internet. Users can access meditation exercises, tips, and more.

Sun Life is increasing its humanitarian and resettlement efforts in Ukraine by donating an additional $200,000 to the Canadian Red Cross and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Donations will now exceed $1.1 million. We know that Canadians are dealing with mental health issues that have been exacerbated by both the ongoing pandemic and concerns about global security and peace. As a result, Sun Life is offering free self-guided therapy to anyone in Canada suffering from mental health issues.

"Our hearts go out to the people of Ukraine and everyone else who has been affected by this heinous invasion and war. We remain deeply concerned about the region's humanitarian crisis and the looming threat to global peace and stability "Sun Life Canada President Jacques Goulet stated "We share the global community's compassion and empathy for the courage and resilience displayed by the people of Ukraine. We hope that our additional donation will assist Ukrainians affected by the crisis."

Sun Life's financial support announced in March is supplemented by donations from Sun Life's companies and affiliates, including MFS, BentallGreenOak, and InfraRed Capital Partners, as well as employee donations matched by Sun Life through its employee giving program.

In Canada, virtual cognitive behavioral therapy is available.

As part of this expanded commitment, Sun Life is providing free mental health support to anyone in need. For a limited time, anyone in Canada will have access to online cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) through a partnership with Dialogue. The virtual service provides a collection of interactive toolkits to assist individuals in overcoming negative emotions such as stress and anxiety. Users can access helpful information and resources, such as meditation exercises, practical tips, and more, after taking a short quiz. iCBT is available around the clock and can be completed anywhere there is internet access. To use the service, go here.

"Online cognitive behavioral therapy is a clinically proven and effective treatment option for helping people get through life's difficult moments,"

said Dialogue CEO Cherif Habib. "Over the next few months, we will invest in mental health support with Sun Life to help thousands of Canadians."

"We also recognize the mental and emotional toll that the invasion of Ukraine has taken on people, in addition to the stress of navigating the COVID-19 pandemic for the past two years,"

said Dave Jones, President of Sun Life Health.

"If you are experiencing uncontrollable stress or anxiety, we encourage you to seek the help you need to recover. There are resources available to assist you."

Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization that offers asset management, wealth management, insurance, and health care solutions to individuals and institutions. Sun Life has offices in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Bermuda. Sun Life had $1.44 trillion in assets under management as of December 31, 2021. Please visit www.sunlife.com for more information.

Source: Sunlife newsroom