C.A.K.E. Foundation is a non-profit organization helping to change the way mental health care is accessed
Our Mission
We remove barriers to mental health care by providing compassionate, dignified, and equitable access to support for all community members.
How do we work?
Why we do it
Join us
By providing access to counselling through our community partners, we aim to remove financial barriers and make professional mental health support available to everyone who needs it. Every session covered will be a step toward reducing stress, building resilience, and strengthening the wellbeing of individuals and the community as a whole.
Our impact is rooted in making mental health care accessible for those who might otherwise go without. By removing financial barriers and connecting people with trusted community partners, we help individuals receive support with dignity and compassion—creating real moments of healing and strengthening our community one person at a time.
We make accessing counselling simple and stress-free. Just connect with one of our trusted community partners, book your session, and we cover the cost—so you can focus on your mental health, not the fees.
Our impact
At C.A.K.E. Foundation, we believe that mental health is a human right. Everyone deserves access to professional support without financial barriers, stigma, or delay. By partnering with local counsellors and community organizations, we create a network of care that strengthens individuals and, in turn, our entire community.
Our team
Angela Bergman Willey, Founder
Angela is a wife, a mother of three, a grandmother and a hairstylist.
Through these roles, she understands that life can be a lot, and finding balance and support of each other and oneself is essential.
Having experienced personal challenges, herself and within her own family, she is thankful to now feel grounded and has had time to be reflective.
Appreciating that not everyone has support yet believing that we are all deserving, is the passion behind the non-profit.
Enjoying a career of creativity and connection with her clients while working behind the chair brings her immense joy. Creating this non-profit helps the balance of the stories people share with her, by hoping to better support the community.
Sarah Stevens, Board Member
Sarah brings over 15 years of experience in mental health and community-based support to the C.A.K.E. Foundation. With a strong background that includes extensive work in mental health nursing and client support roles, she has provided individualized mental wellness assistance and developed programs that foster resilience, safety, and belonging. As a 2SLGBTQI+ Youth Program Coordinator, she leads inclusive initiatives and provides one-on-one and family support grounded in accessibility and equity. Sarah also contributes to Rise Up Indigenous Wellness by facilitating the monthly Youth Advisory Committee and creating culturally affirming resources.
Her experience in trauma-informed practice, community engagement, and inclusive program design directly strengthens C.A.K.E.’s mission by helping build compassionate, accessible, and equitable pathways to mental wellness for all.
Jillian Christjansen, Board Member
Coming soon
Kelsie Mendez, Board Member
Kelsie Mendez grew up in the Okanagan area, moved to Kamloops for her school and work, and eventually returned to the Shuswap to raise her family. She is a Registered Nurse that works with childbearing families, as well as with paediatric and youth mental health patients.
Kelsie believes that everyone can benefit from access to mental health resources, and that care creates a positive ripple effect in families. She is hopeful to continue to see a shift away from mental health stigma, towards open nonjudgmental dialogue around wellbeing, access and barriers. In her free time Kelsie can be found skiing with her daughters or playing with her three dogs!
Lisa Hietala, Board Member
Lisa Hietala is a dedicated advocate for mental health and well-being, bringing her expertise in relationship building and community engagement to the CAKE Foundation board. Lisa has spent her career fostering trust and creating meaningful connections—skills she now applies to support initiatives that promote mental health awareness and access to resources. Mental health matters deeply to Lisa because she has seen firsthand how support and understanding can transform lives. She is passionate about breaking down stigma and ensuring that individuals and communities have the tools they need to thrive.