Mask Off 2025 Raises Over $90,000 For Youth Mental Health

MASK OFF 2025

The Italian Canadian Club in Guelph buzzed with excitement on a cold winter night this past February. On February 8, 2025, the fifth annual Mask Off event took place. This annual masquerade for fundraising raised over $90,000 for The Grove Youth Wellness Hubs, making a significant contribution towards mental health initiatives across Guelph and Wellington County.

A Night to Remember

The Mask Off event is uniquely designed to shed light on the often hidden struggles of mental health. The event is meant to expand the communities’ understanding of what it’s like to live “under a mental health mask." 

Community Involvement

The success of Mask Off 2025 can largely be attributed to the support from local businesses and community members. Exodus was happy to support this event through donating an ERA watch towards the silent auction. The silent auction truly had some incredible donations, from a suite rental for any upcoming Guelph Storm game, to a $3000 gift certificate from Wisdom’s- a local jeweller!

Impact

As previously mentioned, the funds raised during the event are to support the seven sites operated by The Grove throughout the region. During the fundraiser, it was noted that a one-hour visit for one youth equates to about $25 in operational costs. This means that the fundraiser will help provide over 3,600 site visits to help support our local youth! What an incredible community we have. 

Continue The Support

While the masks were off for one night, the journey to support mental health continues every day. Events like Mask Off are crucial, but the need for support is ongoing. We encourage the community to stay engaged and continue spreading the word about the importance of mental health awareness as well as contributing whatever is possible to improve available resources.

It truly felt like a privilege to be present at this event and Aundrea and I are so grateful that we got to witness this event for the first time in person. A huge shoutout to the incredibly talented and hard-working team at CMHA WW for making this event happen this year. We’re already looking forward to next year!

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Learn more about The Grove Youth Wellness Hubs and how you can make a difference. Visit their website to stay updated on news as well as ways to contribute. #UnmaskMentalHealth #SupportYouthWellness