Hotel gives back to youth without shelter

TORONTO- Every day, the Crowne Plaza Toronto Airport is busy checking guests in and out. But Friday’s, are special for the staff.

“Every Friday we wear our jeans. It costs the staff two dollars which goes into a bowl,” said Fariyal Hasham, General Manager of Crowne Plaza Toronto Airport.

“We got little buttons made up that say, ‘Ask me about my jeans,’ so guests will stop and ask, suppliers will stop and ask, and we tell them that were collecting two dollars for the Youth Without Shelter,” said Hasham.

Youth Without Shelter is an emergency residence for homeless and at risk youth between the ages of 16 and 24.

“What Crown Plaza’s relationship with us does is really demonstrate to our youth here living with us, that the community cares about them,” said Judy Leroux, development manager for Youth Without Shelter.

“What we’ve really seen Crowne Plaza bring is the hospitality that they share with their guests, into our home,” said Leroux.

Andres has been living at the shelter for more than a year and is a part of the stay in school program at the shelter, a program that is set up to support homeless youth to complete their education.

Before Andres found the shelter, his experiences weren’t great.

“It was horrible, it was bad. But I spoke with my social worker and she got me into the youth without shelter- Now I actually take responsibility and actually wanting to go to school, completing my school work, striving for a better life, and a better tomorrow.”

Making sure the future is brighter for all youth at the shelter, the hotel also hosts career workshops to teach youth like Andres, about what it’s like to work in the hospitality industry.

The staff teaches youth valuable life experiences and make a difference by giving back to the youth.

“Its’s great that one or two people wanna do it, but when 182 people get together, it makes a big difference,” said, Hasham.