by YWS | Apr 4, 2017 | Anniversary Series
I stayed at Youth Without Shelter when times were tough. It wasn’t just a place to stay…it was about what I could do to find my way. YWS gives you direction. There are many options, it takes time for all of us to find our way. I know it took me two years to decide to...
by YWS | Mar 28, 2017 | Anniversary Series
For as long as he can remember there was only his father and himself. There was always conflict. He is the first to admit that he didn’t want any rules. However, as he matured he saw his father behave in ways towards him that he knew were not right and that he could...
by YWS | Mar 21, 2017 | Anniversary Series
Sometimes I feel my mother never loved me. Maybe she didn’t. There’s nothing to suggest otherwise. No early morning cuddles. No kiss going out the door. No warm embrace when I was at my lowest No comforting voice to vanquish my nightmares. But I do remember a hefty...
by YWS | Mar 14, 2017 | Anniversary Series
“My name is Matthew and I was a long term resident at YWS. I came to YWS 6 years ago, struggling with drug and alcohol problems and dealing with the recent loss of my mother. I was on a path of self-destruction. Upon arriving at YWS I was greeted and welcomed by a...
by YWS | Mar 7, 2017 | Anniversary Series
Winona’s father punished her not only with words of anger but with angry fists. Winona knew she had to leave home for her own survival. She set aside money each week from her pay cheque but it was not enough to afford a place of her own. The turning point was when...
by YWS | Feb 28, 2017 | Anniversary Series
*Name has been changed to maintain confidentiality. At 14 years old, he was living with his alcoholic father. In his father’s home he became a statistic, one of the 47% of homeless youth who report being physically abused by a family member. By his fifteenth...
