Snowflakes are one of the many wonders of our world; they are a miracle of nature – no two are the same. Like snowflakes, no two youth share the same story. Each one follows their own path, a path that defines them, shaped by the challenges they’ve faced and their resiliency to keep going.
For youth experiencing homelessness, that path can be steep, cold, and uncertain – but it doesn’t have to be walked alone.
At YWS, we walk beside youth every step of their journey. With our wrap-around supports and programming, YWS focuses on the individual needs of each youth we serve while providing a safe place to call home for the holidays.
This holiday season, you can help us light the way home.
WE DID IT!
As we step into the New Year, we are sending our warmest wishes to you for health, happiness, and many moments of joy ahead. On behalf of our residents and staff, thank you for being such an essential part of the YWS family.
Because of you, our shelter truly felt like home this holiday season. Long-time supporters and first-time donors came together in the most beautiful way. Volunteers showed up with generous donations, helped us sort gift-in-kind items, cooked comforting meals, wrapped presents, and filled our space with care and kindness.
Thanks to your incredible generosity, we were also thrilled to reach our $600,000 goal for the Home for the Holidays Double Match Campaign, making it our most successful holiday campaign to date. This extraordinary milestone will have a lasting impact on the youth we serve and ensures critical programs and supports remain available when they are needed most.
Because of you, our youth were able to enjoy a calm and joyful holiday, something that can be especially hard during this time of year. They opened personalized gifts paired with heartfelt cards of encouragement, shared laughter over games, and enjoyed delicious meals made with love.
And the magic did not stop there. The Home Depot team transformed our shelter into a festive wonderland, complete with decorations and a glowing light-up arch at the stairs that made the space feel straight out of a movie scene.
Thank you for keeping our youth in your hearts and for standing with us every step of the way. Your generosity, time, and compassion make everything we do possible, and we are deeply grateful to have you as part of our community as we head into the year ahead.
– Monika Fox, YWS Director of Philanthropy
Send an eCard through Canada Helps!
Celebrate a special occasion, honour a loved one, or give your best wishes to friends and family by sending an eCard with a donation to YWS. Choose your eCard design, select YWS from the charity dropdown menu, input your custom donation amount and add a personalized message. Plus, get a tax receipt for the value of your donation!
A common misconception about youth experiencing homelessness is that they do not wish to go to school, find a job, or pay rent. This could not be farther from the truth. Youth realize how important their education is, and actively search for ways to participate and access the same opportunities as their peers. The dreams of young people do not change depending on their residential status. All youth want to reach the stars, and they seek opportunities to do so.
Here is the story of a youth who first experienced homelessness at the age of 16 and applied to our Stay in School Program in order to achieve their academic dreams.
“I was sixteen years old when I first experienced homelessness. There were no youth shelter beds available at the time, so I ended up in a regular shelter where I was the youngest one there. Although it did provide me with a safe place to sleep, it was not very well suited for me and I began looking elsewhere for places to stay, which is when a social worker told me about the Stay In School Program at Youth Without Shelter.
It seemed like a good fit considering the fact that I was already very adamant about my education, but little did I know how much it would impact me to become the young woman I am today. I went from thinking that I would have to drop out of school to earn money to being able to pass all my classes with flying colours while working numerous jobs over the years. I made friends that have become my chosen family, connected with staff who genuinely wished to see me succeed and even had other supports such as a tutor and mental health counselling.
This eventually led to my university acceptance and current journey in Downtown Toronto, as I wanted to move to be closer to work and school. Despite moving, Youth Without Shelter will always be my home. The people there lifted me up in ways I cannot express in words. Throughout my time there, I grew to be more confident, resilient and kind, not only to others but to myself as well. I will always look back on my memories within YWS fondly and truly believe that everything, from the people to the structure of the Stay In School Program itself, has taught me to build a strong foundation for future success.”
When no one is expecting them home, we are.