Covenant House Toronto adds warmth this winter and extends 24-7 care to youth experiencing homelessness

TORONTO, Nov. 29, 2024 /CNW/ - Covenant House Toronto is committed to providing essential care for young people experiencing homelessness and has expanded its services this winter through a Youth Winter Respite Program. The program will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week from November to April in addition to the organization's crisis shelter program and will provide a safe place to sleep, and access to basic necessities and critical services that help break the cycle of homelessness.

Winter months are extremely difficult for people experiencing homelessness; trying to find a safe and warm place to spend the night and food to eat are daily concerns. Young people are particularly vulnerable to these circumstances. The Youth Winter Respite Program launched this month and will provide 16–24-year-olds with a safe place to stay, access to on-site healthcare and youth-focused mental health services. Youth participating in the program will also have access to our on-site educational and employment resources in a caring and supportive environment where they can heal, grow and thrive.

Over the past year, Covenant House Toronto continued to see the demand for services increasing and more young people showing up at their doors seeking help. Last year alone, the drop-in centre saw up to 100 youth showing up daily to access food, clean clothes, and other services, with more young people arriving in the afternoon trying to find a safe place to sleep because they have no other options. The agency also saw a 35 per cent rise in demand for mental health services.

This winter, the need is especially great, and the program is operating at a critical time, as the demand for shelter beds continues to vastly outstrip the available supply. The most current data suggests that youth make up approximately 12 per cent of the homeless population in Toronto, or more than 1,000 young people in the city's shelter system each night. Unfortunately, the number of young people experiencing homelessness is likely much higher due to what is often referred to as hidden homelessness where people stay in temporary spaces.

"Our Youth Winter Respite program responds to the urgent and increasing need we're seeing in our community," says Covenant House Toronto's Executive Director Mark Aston. "We know that providing the right level of support at each point in a young person's journey forward leads to improved health and social outcomes. This program is providing life-saving refuge for our community's most vulnerable residents and access to important services that help them build their path forward out of homelessness." 

Covenant House Toronto's Youth Winter Respite Program is in addition to our year-round emergency crisis shelter program, which currently provides shelter to 105 young people experiencing homelessness. The Youth Winter Respite Program increases this capacity to 150 to support those in need. In addition, Covenant House Toronto also provides 205 youth with shelter through our community-based housing programs, as they exit their experience of homelessness.

"We're so pleased to partner with Covenant House Toronto as part of the City's 2023/24 Winter Services Plan to offer youth experiencing homelessness a warm and safe place to stay this winter," said Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow. "We know it is a difficult time for too many people in our community and beyond, and there will be significant challenges in the coming months, as we face increasing demand for shelter and housing in our city. Partnerships like this one are critical to help keeping our community's most vulnerable residents safe as we head into cold weather season."

Initially launched two years ago through generous donor funding, the program is operating again this year thanks to support from the City of Toronto's Winter Service Plan and is the only City-funded program dedicated to youth.  

About Covenant House Toronto 

Covenant House helps youth ignite their potential and reclaim their lives. As Canada's largest agency serving youth who are homeless, trafficked or at risk, we offer the widest range of services to hundreds of young people every day.

More than a place to stay, we provide life-changing care with unconditional love and respect. We meet youth's immediate needs and then we work together to achieve their future goals. We offer 24/7 crisis shelter, transitional housing options on-site and in the community, health and well-being support, training and skill development, and ongoing care once youth move into the community.  

For over 40 years, Covenant House has been dedicated to its mission of serving youth on the street and to protect and safeguard all youth with absolute respect and unconditional love. Since 1982, Covenant House has supported more than 100,000 young people.

SOURCE Covenant House Toronto

For more information contact: Sarah Boesveld, Manager, Public Relations & Advocacy, Cell: 647-678- 4372, [email protected]