Youth Haven’s annual Boxes of Hope campaign had another successful season, with the community donating $72,380 to help Barrie, Ont., and area youth experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
The shelter said each box costs $50, and the campaign also ensures youth are provided with meals, a warm bed and counselling services throughout the year.
Youth Haven executive director Lucy Gowers said the presents under the tree mean a lot to the youth they help but said it goes beyond that.
“It is a sense of belonging that is also important to these kids. It is not lost on our youth that there are people in the community who care about their well-being,” said Gowers.
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“There is no place like home for the holidays, as the song goes, but for the kids in our care, that isn’t always possible, so we do what we can to make it feel like home sweet home during the holidays.”
In 2022, Youth Haven provided support to approximately 600 youth in Barrie and the area.
Youth Haven serves as Simcoe County’s only emergency shelter for young people and provides emergency, transitional housing and outreach services for youth ages 16 to 24 who are experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of being homeless.
The shelter is currently raising funds to build a new home to provide services for more people.
The new home, which will also address the shelter’s need for an updated place, will house 34 youth at a time, up from 19.