The Director of Development for the Eden Foundation says the funds from a benefit concert over the weekend will help with their programming that does not receive support from Manitoba Health.

Earl Reimer says Manitoba health pays for the work they do in the Crisis Stabilization Unit at the Bethesda hospital but does not cover some of the other services they provide.

"The funds that are raised at a concert like this are used for the purposes of providing hope, healing, and community to those on a mental health journey which are outside of the parameters of our principal contract that we have with Manitoba Health. There are a lot of things that need to be done and they are the dream of the community and can only really be done when the community itself is backing these things up."

Reimer says some of the programs that are funded by donations in the Steinbach region include the Segue Career Options Program, the Wellness Library, and the Penfeld Courts and Wilson Courts housing programs.

"Another component that is being supported in Steinbach is the Recovery of Hope counselling services. Recovery of Hope is a fee for service counselling system and we do have top-level counsellors. The reality is that the ability for some people to pay a professional counsellor is sometime untoward and they are not capable of doing that."

Reimer notes if people need the services but cannot pay for them, the foundation can use donated funds to support their counselling. He notes Eastman Male Choir and Corny Rempel as Elvis performed in a concert called Harmony For Hope at the Steinbach Mennonite Church Sunday evening and the show attracted over 700 people. He notes the $9,500 raised will go directly to programming in the Steinbach area.