London, Ont. boxing tournament fundraiser collected $300K for Y.O.U., organizers say

A fundraising event in London, Ont., last fall aimed at raising money for Youth Opportunities Unlimited (Y.O.U.) and its Joan’s Place project collected $300,000 from the community, organizers have announced.

The 2nd Fight to End Homelessness boxing event was held in November at RBC Place London, with 32 local entrepreneurs, community leaders and politicians facing off in a sanctioned amateur boxing tournament in support of Y.O.U.

On Thursday, Y.O.U. officials were presented with a cheque during a ceremony outside the agency’s main building at the corner of Richmond and York streets in London’s downtown, across from where Joan’s Place is being built.

News of the final tally comes ahead of Y.O.U.’s annual breakfast event, set to get underway Friday morning. Fight to End previously raised $80,000 in 2019 in support of Y.O.U.’s youth shelter, located on Clarke Road in the city’s east end.

“After raising $80,000 in 2019, our goal was $120,000 this year, with the hopes that we were going to be able to provide the furniture for Joan’s Place for the units that they have there,” said Brett Lucier, co-founder of Fight to Life and owner of Provincial Glass and Mirror, one of the event’s many sponsors.

“With the $300,000, we feel very confident that we’re going to be able to do that and a lot more. What it sounds like now is we’ll also be able to furnish appliances and blinds and increased lock systems for the doors, and a lot of other items that we’ll be announcing as they come about.”

When it opens, Joan’s Place will have 39 affordable housing units and a youth wellness hub that will offer services and programs for young people, including mental health, addictions, employment and training. Y.O.U. officials say the facility will be able to serve more than 200 people daily.

Construction began in November on the building, named after Joan Smith, a former city councillor and MPP who also served as Ontario’s first female solicitor general.

“I was with some other board members as the announcement was being made and we kept watching the tally going up and up and I thought – is there a technology glitch?” said Terry Gillis, Y.O.U.’s board chair, in a statement.

“This is such an incredible boost to Joan’s Place and helping us meet our collective goal of building a safe and affordable home for youth, young mothers, and mothers-to-be who are experiencing or are at risk of experiencing homelessness.

“Once again, the London community outdid itself. And to that we say thanks.”

Lucier says the plan is for Fight to End to be an annual event, and work is already in the very early stages for this year’s tournament, set to be held in November. Those looking to participate will be able to apply starting in May.

“When Adam (Malamis) and I started Fight to End, it grew from a small seed to what it is now, and it’s really expanded to incorporate the business community within London, and you’ll see a lot of larger name builders and developers that are involved in this event,” he said.

“One of our major sponsors this year was Drewlo Holdings, and they came through at a major level for us and were a huge part of our last event.”

In a statement, Jerry Drennan, chief operating officer of Drewlo, said the developer, and others in the city, “understand there’s a need and we want to do our part.”

“Partnering with Fight to End, and seeing our own Carrie O’Brien in the ring, was a great way to continue to give back and support the mission of Joan’s Place.”

Corus Entertainment, parent company of Global News, was also a sponsor through FM96, with Brad Gibb, the station’s longtime program director and on-air voice, going head-to-head against A.J. O’Connor of Lynn’s Bakery and Deli.

Lucier wouldn’t say who won the match, noting that, at the end of the day, there were no losers.

“There’s only winners, because it’s all going to Youth Opportunities Unlimited.”