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A grassroots idea born in grief in the Battlefords has grown into a national message of connection, carried on the backs of tens of thousands of Canadians wearing the same simple reminder:
“We are better together.”
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Founder and owner Deb McNabb returned to North Battleford City Council this week to share how a local initiative sparked by tragedy has spread across the country, transforming from a small pilot project into a movement rooted in community and mental wellness.
“The Better Together T-shirts initiative was birthed here in the Battlefords when our community faced a tremendous loss in 2018,” McNabb said.
“We had eight citizens pass in seven weeks by suicide. Five were under the age of 22, and three were over the age of 55.”
In the months that followed, McNabb and a group of community members began searching for ways to bridge isolation and bring people together across generations. What started as a small effort to connect youth and seniors quickly grew into something much larger.
“A year later, in January of 2019, we launched the Better Together T-shirt initiative,” she said.
The concept was simple: matching themed shirts — milk and cookies, bacon and eggs, salt and pepper — designed to spark conversation and build relationships. Participants wear them, often on Tuesdays, and seek out their “match,” creating new connections in schools, workplaces and public spaces.
“We believed that if we could connect the generations, maybe we could bring wellness to our community,” McNabb said.
The initiative began with 300 participants, 150 youth and 150 seniors, in what was intended to be a three-month pilot project. Instead, it expanded rapidly.
“So our 300 shirts grew within the three months to 6,000 local citizens wearing and sharing our message,” she said.
“And today, I’m proud to say that over 100,000 people across Canada are wearing and sharing our important message.”
Some of the designs the brand is selling at the moment. (Better Together SK Clothing/Submitted)
What began as a local effort has since reached communities across the country, with McNabb travelling to help launch the initiative in new regions and encourage municipal leaders to take part.
“We usually begin by addressing the mayor, challenging the mayor to do a proclamation, then challenging the mayor to dress their council,” she said.
Proceeds from shirt sales support mental wellness and community programs, particularly for young people. The shirts are produced in Saskatchewan, with some made by youth in Saskatoon.
Despite its national reach, McNabb said the Battlefords remain at the heart of the movement.
“The Battlefords are the home of Better Together, and I’m really proud that I’m from here,” she said.
North Battleford Mayor Kelli Hawtin, third from right, and members of city council wear Better Together T-shirts to show their support for the Battlefords-born mental health initiative. (City of North Battleford/Submitted)
Mayor Kelli Hawtin praised the initiative, calling McNabb “an ambassador of the Battlefords across the country” and commending the project’s role in promoting mental health and connection.
“We need more ambassadors for our community, ’cause I think it’s a wonderful place to live. There’s so much good going on here, and there are so many good people like you,” Hawtin stated.
“You’re a gift to the community, and I hope you know that.”
For McNabb, the message remains rooted in the same idea that first inspired the effort years ago — that meaningful change often begins with small acts of connection.
“Connect with one another, build a stronger community,” she said. “We are better together.”
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