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Vancouver Foundation gives homeless youth new opportunities

January 18, 2010

Vancouver Foundation today announced the details of four projects it recently funded for a total of $825,000. The following projects are designed to specifically address the issue of youth homelessness:

January 18 – 2010 — Vancouver Foundation today announced the details of four projects it recently funded for a total of $825,000. The following projects are designed to specifically address the issue of youth homelessness:

Aunt Leah’s Independent Life Skills Society ($175,000)

When they turn 19, most young people who were in government care lose the services and supports once available to them. This three-year grant will help secure housing and supports for youth who have “aged out of care” but are not yet ready to live independently.

Aldergrove Neighbourhood Services Society ($200,000)

There is strong support in Aldergrove to develop a youth drop-in centre, where staff can link homeless youth (or those at high risk of homelessness) with local, safe housing. One objective is to help stem the migration of youth from Aldergrove and Langley to larger centres in search of affordable housing. This two-year grant will engage young people in the planning, development and evaluation of local housing supports and services.

Atira Women’s Resource Society ($250,000)

Young women in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside experience high rates of violence and sexual abuse. This three-year grant to Atira, in partnership with Watari, Covenant House, Sheway and BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre, will focus on providing supports and stable, safe housing for 20 young women who are fleeing violence in the DTES.

Covenant House ($200,000)

Some homeless youth suffer from undiagnosed mental illness. The Inner City Youth Mental Health Program is an innovative partnership between Covenant House and psychiatrists at St. Paul’s Hospital. It provides on-site treatment to youth experiencing mental illness. This two-year grant will enable the program to continue the important work of connecting young people to treatment and support so that they can better secure and maintain housing.

“Youth homelessness is a complex issue, and the challenge needs to be addressed from many different angles,” said Faye Wightman, CEO of Vancouver Foundation. “That’s why we are supporting a range of programs and services for young people who are homeless. Each grant also includes a strong evaluation component so we can learn from these initiatives and share the lessons more broadly.”

For more details on Vancouver Foundation initiatives to address youth homelessness, visit our website at www.vancouverfoundation.ca/initiatives

With more than 1,200 funds, and assets of $722 million, Vancouver Foundation is Canada’s largest community foundation. Since it was founded in 1943, Vancouver Foundation, in partnership with its donors, has distributed more than $785 million to BC charities.

For more information:

604.688.2204

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