It's Meals for Mental Health Week in Windsor-Essex.
Stigma Enigma can't hold its usual gala to raise money to shorten wait times at Windsor's Maryvale, so organizers thought outside the box.
From Monday to Sunday this week, you'll have the option to make a $5 donation towards mental health support any time you eat-in or order-out at one of 17 restaurants.
Dr. Pat Smith founded Stigma Enigma six years ago after several tragedies made him question if enough is being done for mental health.
"I went through a time where I lost a couple of patients to suicide. I lost my niece at the age of 18 and then her brother, my nephew about a year later," he says. "So I saw there was a real shortage of help for mental health."
Smith hopes the fundraiser helps sales at area restaurants too.
"One of the members of Maryvale came up with this idea that if we can't go to Caboto and have a big event that we would try to get restaurants in the city involved because they were hurting at the same time we were, so we came up with this idea," he added.
He tells The Dan MacDonald Show money raised has also gone to five Stigma Enigma Sophie Smith Scholarships.
"We started a scholarship named after my niece Sophie for a medical student who will decide to come back to work in psychiatry in our region," he added.
Smith says each donation comes with a chance to win a 65" TV or a Tim Horton's gift card. Gift bags will also be handed out while supplies last.
Stigma Enigma has raised more than $800,000 for mental health service in Windsor-Essex over the past six years.
Participating Restaurants: