Ottawa management consultant Carmen Abela devotes much of her volunteer time to raising millions for mental health and addiction care. As chair of The Royal’s charitable arm, she helps to lead one of Canada’s major mental health institutions, guiding fundraising efforts to improve access to care.

But on Thursday evening, at a reception overlooking the Ottawa River, the founder of WindReach Consulting Services told about 100 guests that her volunteer work was driven by something far more personal than her career. Her efforts were motivated by the challenging experience of helping her daughter through a serious mental health crisis.

Kennedy Reid, 25, who was in the audience, has since dedicated herself to helping others, working with the John Howard Society as a youth support worker for young women, while also continuing her post-secondary education to build a career in community safety and well-being.

“I am so inspired by her,” Abela said of her daughter, whom she described as compassionate and empathetic.

Abela was the driving force behind a small business mental health campaign that raised more than $71,000 for The Royal’s $75-million Lives Reclaimed campaign.

The celebration brought together supporters, along with The Royal’s CEO, Cara Vaccarino, and The Royal’s outgoing board chair Sharon Squire, whom Vaccarino described as one of her role models. Also present were Foundation CEO Chris Ide and such board members as Kelly Campbell from BDO Canada and Julie Champagne from the Bank of Canada, along with NumberCrunch co-founder and CEO Susan Richards, who serves on The Royal’s Research Institute board.

From left, Carmen Abela, Foundation board chair at The Royal, alongside The Royal’s CEO, Cara Vaccarino and her outgoing board chair Sharon Squire, president of Vision Consulting+Coaching, and Chris Ide, CEO of The Royal’s Foundation, at a reception held at 50 Sussex to celebrate the small business mental health campaign led by Abela. Photo by Caroline Phillips

The campaign began several months ago with a $15,000 donation from Abela, which was then unexpectedly matched by Linda Wagner-Vaz and Paul Vaz. From there, it grew into a collective effort among entrepreneurs, consultants and community leaders connected to Abela, “proving that when small businesses come together around a shared purpose, the impact is anything but small,” she said.

The funds are being directed toward mental health and addiction care and research at The Royal. “More importantly, you are helping people feel less alone,” Abela said.

The campaign also focused on raising awareness and reducing stigma through honest and vulnerable conversations, which, Abela said, drove home that “mental illness does not discriminate. It does not care about success, status, profession or circumstance.

“But, the conversations also reminded us of something very hopeful: that community compassion and access to care can make major changes in people’s lives. To those of you in the room who own businesses, you understand resilience, you understand sacrifice, responsibility, uncertainty and perseverance.”

Carmen Abela, chair of The Royal’s Foundation board, with Linda Wagner-Vaz and Paul Vaz, who matched — without solicitation — Abela’s $15,000 gift to the small business campaign in support of mental health care and research at The Royal. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Foundation board member Kelly Campbell, partner at BDO Canada, and Julie Champagne, managing director of corporate services at the Bank of Canada, at a campaign celebration in support of The Royal. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Carmen Abela, middle, is joined by some of her supporters, including (from left) donors Paul Vaz and Linda Wagner-Vaz,  podcast host Shawn Todd, business coach Emilie Wilcox, Kennedy Reid, Melissa Fournier from BDO Canada, leadership coach Deann Young and personal trainer Connor Thomas for the campaign celebration for The Royal, held at 50 Sussex. Photo by Caroline Phillips

The room heard how Abela’s daughter was diagnosed with major depressive disorder and anxiety more than five years ago. Reid then took the floor to express her gratitude to her mother, describing her as having a “remarkable ability to bring people together.”

Abela’s strength, compassion and belief in the importance of community “have shaped not only this campaign but the values that I carry with me every day,” Reid said, describing her mother as her “greatest advocate” in helping her access treatment.

Reid added that her own work helping young people has shown her how rare that kind of advocacy is for youth without family support, who are still “waiting for someone to fight for them.”

Kennedy Reid spoke at a reception for The Royal about how access to treatment for her mental illness changed the trajectory of her life. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Vaccarino praised the small business owners in the room, calling them “romantics” for their belief in themselves and the communities they’re helping to build. “You all took leaps of faith,” she said, noting that many had left secure jobs, some of them with the government, to launch their own ventures.

She also spoke about her aspiration to bring more of an “entrepreneurial spirit” to The Royal to advance research and improve access to care, and how philanthropic dollars help support those goals.

“I know we must do better. We must do better,” she said. “People cannot just survive with mental illness. We must all collectively join to help them thrive.”

The Royal is currently in the soft launch phase of a new urgent care clinic, which is helping divert patients from spending hours in emergency departments before being placed on long waiting lists, Vaccarino said.

She added that the organization remains “deeply committed” to the work ahead. “It’s all hands on deck when it comes to helping people like Kennedy and all the people we love and care for in our own lives who are affected by mental illness and addiction.”

Cara Vaccarino, CEO of The Royal, thanked supporters for their contributions to the small business mental health campaign during a special reception held at 50 Sussex on Thursday, June 11, 2026. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Angie Hoang, chief strategy and innovation officer at Meridian Credit Union, and Sharon Squire, outgoing board chair at The Royal, at a reception held at 50 Sussex to celebrate the small business mental health campaign for The Royal. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Guests of a campaign celebration for The Royal gathered Thursday, June 11, 2026 at 50 Sussex, overlooking the Ottawa River. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Foundation board chair Carmen Abela and Susan Richards, board member with The Royal’s Research Institute, at a reception held at 50 Sussex to celebrate the small business mental health campaign led by Abela. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Ottawa Board of Trade board member Melissa Reeves, COO of Linebox Studio, and Emilie Wilcox, business coach with Emilie Wilcox Coaching, at 50 Sussex for the celebration of the small business mental health campaign for The Royal. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Welch LLP partner Chris Meyers and Paul Marshall, partner at Boyden Canada, at 50 Sussex for the celebration of the small business mental health campaign for The Royal. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, BDO Canada’s Annik Blanchard, Melissa Fournier and Kelly Campbell at 50 Sussex for a reception to celebrate the small business mental health campaign for The Royal. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Ingrid Gingras, vice president of communications and donor experience at The Royal’s Foundation, and Andrea MacLean, director of communications and community engagement at The Royal, at a small business mental health campaign celebration held at 50 Sussex. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Guests of The Royal’s small business mental health campaign socialized during a reception held at 50 Sussex on Thursday, June 11, 2026. Photo by Caroline Phillips

This article is made possible through sponsorship from Star Motors, WEALTH (WCPD), Syntax Strategic, RBC, Marilyn Wilson Dream Properties, ExecHealth, Altis Recruitment, Bell Canada, First Avenue Investment Counsel, Welch LLP, Brazeau Seller Law and Prime Benefits Group.

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