Calgarians crowd into Peace Park to raise awareness and funds for Kids Help Phone at BMO Walk

Hundreds of Calgarians helped raise money this weekend for Kids Help Phone

Hundreds of Calgarians were in Peace Park Sunday to raise awareness and funds for the BMO Walk so kids can talk.

The event benefits Kids Help Phone, which is a national organization that helps young people with their feelings and issues they may be struggling to understand.

It operates 24/7 and is free and confidential.

Kids Help Phone says the demand for child and mental youth services is growing faster than ever.

“Take a moment to think about, like for adults, how the world feels heavy,” said Winnette Sampson, the vice-president of community giving and advancement operations at Kids Help Phone.

“Now, imagine how your young people are feeling,” she added, “how heavy they are feeling, and sometimes they don’t share with the people that are around them? We actually have a stat that 83 per cent of young people tell us something they’ve never told anyone in their life -- so I think that’s why you care.”

BMO Walks were help in other Canadian cities, raising close to $3.9 million for the Kids Help Phones.

For Sampson, that money means a kid in trouble is going to call and go straight to voicemail.

“So few places are actually able to open all night,” she said, “and so when someone calls, at two in the morning, there’s somebody who can actually answer.”

For more about Kids Help Phone, go here.

With files from CTV News’ Timm Bruch