Henry’s foundation aims to lift the shame and isolation of mental illness

As Canadians face a mental health crisis, the work that family foundations do to strengthen awareness around mental illness and disorders is critical.

“Many families in Canada are touched by mental illness. It is an intergenerational illness, affecting everyone from children to seniors,” says Deborah Gillis, president and chief executive officer of the CAMH Foundation.

“CAMH is advancing mental-health research that will improve care and outcomes for people across their lifespan to build healthier families and, ultimately, a healthier world. Family foundations that support this work are helping us find solutions for people today and changing mental health care for generations to come.”

As CAMH launches its $500 million campaign to support world-leading mental health research, family foundations also fund this important cause.

Amy Stein and the Stein family, who have run Henry’s, a Toronto-based national digital imaging retailer for four generations, opened up about their family’s history with bipolar disorder and other mental-health issues. This cause has been something the family has come together to tackle.

Founded just before the first pandemic lockdown, Henry’s Foundation, “envisions a Canada where no one has to suffer alone through mental illness and where creative expression, in all of its forms, is recognized as an effective way to promote, support and improve mental health.”

The foundation partners with leaders in mental health and the arts to develop evidence-based programs that use creative expression as a therapeutic tool for people living with depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder.

Amy Stein, who worked on the corporate side of Henry’s for nearly 20 years, discusses how the family aims to lift the burden of shame and isolation that so many who live with mental-health issues experience.

Amy Stein, Executive Director, Toronto-based Henry’s Foundation

How did your foundation come to be?

The Henry’s Foundation was founded in 2019 and reflects the deep, personal commitment of the Stein Family and is supported by the Henry’s retail organization – a fourth-generation Canadian-owned family business that focusses on the creative community through photography, videography, and content creation.

Philanthropy and giving back to our community have always been a core value of my family and Henry’s. We would gladly donate to a variety of causes that were important to our employees or a partner – there was always a personal connection to the cause. We sponsored or donated to events supporting the Marvelle Koffler Breast Centre at Mount Sinai Hospital and the Ride to Conquer Cancer in support of the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. I myself did the more than 200 km ride seven times.

But we started to realize that we were spreading our giving efforts too broadly, and that if we really wanted to make an impact, we needed to choose one focus area – a very targeted charitable giving strategy. There was no question in our minds that we should focus on mental health.

Mental illness runs in my family. My sister Gillian Stein, Henry’s CEO, and my father Andy Stein both live with bipolar disorder. Gillian shared publicly her personal story as a CEO living with bipolar disorder in December, 2021. My grandfather died by suicide in 1977 and very likely had bipolar disorder, too. I was diagnosed with depression during my second year of university.

We had a close friend of the family and company die by suicide and quickly realized that no one would talk openly about it. If someone dies of cancer or heart disease, it’s openly discussed. In my family, mental illness is acknowledged and discussed. As a family, we believe that no one should struggle with mental illness alone. By championing the use of creativity, innovation, and technology to support, improve and promote mental health in Canada, we can help more people get the support they need.

I was on the corporate side of the business for 19 years before transitioning to start the foundation. I worked in almost every department, so I have a well-rounded knowledge of everything we do. I love taking on new challenges, starting our first foundation and changing my career at the age of 45.

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How did your foundation evolve?

I spent about six months prior to establishing the foundation in 2019, doing research on foundations. I had more coffees with more people than I had ever had in my life. I told people our story, why we chose to focus on mental health and asked them if anything was missing or didn’t make sense. We wanted to be sure that setting up a foundation was the right thing to do and that we would be able to achieve our goals. I had a ton of support and enthusiasm. And some great advice.

We started with a very broad mandate to support mental health for all Canadians – which is a very big statement to make – but we refined it over the past few years.

The Henry’s Foundation launched to the public on March 12, 2020 – just a few days prior to the start of the pandemic.

When we closed all Henry’s locations in an effort to “flatten” the pandemic curve, we assumed, like most people, that we would be shut down for a few weeks. Although the pandemic and store closures lasted longer than anyone thought, we were determined to continue with the foundation. The first two years of the foundation were challenging, with lockdowns and store closures. We quickly moved the foundation online with our website and social media.

During the pandemic, I realized that we need a more focused strategy, so I took the time to learn about the mental-health landscape – its challenges and opportunities. I wanted to ensure that we were focusing on the right priorities based on evidence. We did not want to be the people sitting at a board table deciding what the mental-health priorities should be. I also joined several mental-health groups for leaders and can honestly say that the people I’ve met and information I’ve learned has been invaluable.

In the summer of 2022, I hired a social impact firm to help us narrow our scope with a focus on outcomes. We completed a case for support, which outlines our purpose, mission and vision – and forms the basis of everything we do. During our research, it became very clear that we would support mental health though the creative arts – an area we knew well and were passionate about.

Since our public launch in March 2020, the foundation has created #Uncapturedmoments – using social media for good by inviting the public to share their authentic experiences – not just their perfect lives.

Working with our six partners who are leaders in mental health, we created Mental Health Minute. These are short videos shared on social media featuring mental-health experts or people with lived experience sharing their experiences.

We’re continuing our mission of empowering people to be open about their personal challenge and share their stories.

How did the next generation become involved in the foundation?

“The Henry’s Foundation was founded in 2019, so this is the first generation to operate a foundation. Charitable giving and philanthropy was instilled in our family values from a young age. My parents, Gaye and Andy Stein, were the first generation who were able to give back – volunteering time and money. Previous generations were too busy putting food on the table.

The foundation has allowed us to develop a strong charitable giving strategy focused on the long-term and clearly defined vision for the future.

The next generation is still young, between the ages 9-14 years old, but they are already aware of how they can make a difference in the community. By creating the foundation, we’re able to show the next generation the importance of giving back and modeling that behaviour for them.

Do you have advice for other families preparing next generations for leadership in the family’s philanthropy?

I would encourage families who are preparing future generations for leadership in philanthropy to lead by example and get them involved at a young age. Have them visit some of the organizations or people your foundation is supporting – seeing your impact firsthand and discussing the challenges and opportunities.

They should be part of the conversation and decision-making process early. They should be able to see the process – how the family decides whom to support and why.

Give them roles that are age appropriate. Ask them their opinions – how they can be part of the solution.

Every generation should see the world from both perspectives – the charitable side and your family’s impact. Encourage them to meet other foundations and organizations support similar causes. One foundation alone cannot solve the program. If we want to truly change lives for the better then we need work together.

Do you have any memorable moments you recall?

Changing my career at the age of 45 and moving from the corporate side of Henry’s to launching a new foundation was exciting – a bit daunting but a challenge that I was looking forward to. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made. I was so proud when we developed our initial strategy for the foundation and turned it into action on March 12, 2020, for our public launch.

My sister Gillian Stein, Henry’s CEO, shared her very personal story as a CEO living with bipolar disorder in December, 2021. We had no idea of the impact that her story would have. The volume of phone calls, emails, and texts we received applauding her bravery and transparency was staggering.

Although we did not have a formal launch for the foundation due to the pandemic, the foundation was an integral part of the VIP event for the new Henry’s flagship store opening in September, 2022 – a few years later. It was the first time since our launch, that I was able to meet the foundation partners and Henry’s vendors in person and share our story with them.

Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.

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