Rotary Club of Peterborough Makes $50,000 Donation to YES Shelter To Expand Housing

To expand housing, The Rotary Club of Peterborough has donated $50,000 to the YES Shelter for Youth and Families in a cheque presentation made on Monday afternoon.

This funding is a part of Rotary’s Centennial Celebrations, helping the community in their 100th year of local service. Photo courtesy of the Rotary Club of Peterborough.

This funding allows YES to open three new permanent spaces in their RISE Youth Housing Program. It facilitates the renovation and maintenance of an existing RISE Youth Housing location according to a press release.

“I am pleased to be presenting this cheque for the YES RISE Youth Housing Program to fund a place and program where youth are supported with skills to transition from homelessness and living in a shelter towards living on their own often finishing high school, a college program or into employment,” said Betty Halman-Plumley, Rotary president.

The $50,000 is part of the Rotary’s $100,000 commitment that was made last year.

“The Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha is very pleased to partner with the Peterborough Rotary Club in providing funding for YES’ Rise Youth Housing Program,” said Paul Landau, Peterborough Kawartha Club president. “This program ensures that youth in the community have a safe place to live and also learn strategies to support their recovery.”

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Seventh Annual Tebey Golf Classic Held at Wildfire Golf Club To Support Peterborough Youth

The seventh annual Tebey Golf Classic has been announced for June 1 at Wildfire Golf Club in support of Peterborough Youth Services and the YES Shelter announced on Thursday.

Photo courtesy of Tebey.

“I’m really looking forward to getting home for our annual golf fundraiser with GPSHF, Your Family Health Team Foundation,” said Tebey. "As someone who has expressed my own challenges with mental health well-being over the years, it's really important to me to support initiatives in this area of health services."

Foursomes are $1000 and include a shotgun tee-off, meet and greet with Tebey, access to private in-person VIP acoustic performance with Tebey and special guests (TBA), activities and contests throughout the course, meals, prizes, professional photos of your group, and a chance to play one of Ontario’s top private courses that has hosted PGA tour events. 

A $200 tax receipt will be provided to all foursomes, with funds raised going to support Youth Mental Health programming through Peterborough Youth Services and YES Shelter for Youth and Families.

"The Tebey Golf Classic is one of the highlights of our year at YES,” said Aimeé Le Lagadec, Yes Shelter executive director. “This incredible event has become crucial to the support provided to young people and families struggling severely with their mental health while experiencing homelessness in Peterborough."

“These funds help us to reduce wait times and to provide specialized services for children, youth and families,” said Gord Langill, Peterborough Youth Services Executive Director. “Mental health issues are affecting more people in more complex ways, and resources are limited, so every fund-raised dollar makes a difference.”

 A shotgun tee-off will be scheduled at 12:30 p.m., with an outdoor acoustic performance taking place at 7 p.m.

The annual Tebey Golf Classic raises funds in partnership with GPHSF, Your Family Health Team Foundation, to support youth mental health programming across the Peterborough region. More than $175,000 has been raised over the past six years creating programming that previously did not exist in our community. This includes: 

• Reducing wait times and to provide specialized services for children, youth and families

• Covid-19 Response Drop In Centre - YES Youth Emergency Shelter for Youth and Families

• YES Homelessness Prevention Program partnership with Peterborough Youth Services and YES Year one and Year two Funding

• 211 Awareness Campaign – Peterborough Youth Services and YES Shelter

• Ongoing education for Mental Health Clinicians of the Peterborough Family Health Team to support free patient mindfulness programming

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Trillium Grant of $75,000 Gives Yes Shelter Research Funding to Bring Host Homes Program to Peterborough

The YES Shelter is researching if a Host Homes Program is feasible in Peterborough to prevent youth from entering the shelter system and provide supportive housing after receiving a $75,000 Ontario Trillium Foundation grant.

YEs Shelter reports that a consistency of roughly 50 youth expereince homelessness in Peterborough. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The project goal is to determine whether it is viable and ideal to have a Host Home Program for Peterborough City and County. The grant was originally awarded in 2019 but delayed over COVID-19 until last year. Host Homes Program helps youth experiencing or at risk of homelessness have a safe, home-like environment while repairing their relationship with natural supports according to a press release. Youth experiencing trauma that can come with homelessness can be supported through the cause of their housing instability.

The funding aids in staff, research, travel, an ethics board and labour.

“This grant of $75,000 has allowed the YES Shelter for Youth to continue supporting youth and families and addressing youth homelessness,” said MPP Dave Smith. “It has been said that it takes a village to raise a child and the YES Shelter and other community partners have been able to lessen the burden on these youth by providing a safe shelter and other supports they need.”

The program helps prevent anyone aged 16 - 24 from entering the shelter system in Peterborough and gives access to community support. Typical causes of youth homelessness can include family conflict, poverty, and family rejection due to gender identity or sexual orientation according to Aimeé Le Lagadec, YES Shelter executive director.

“There are currently very few supports in place for young people who need to leave home prematurely to maintain their safety and wellbeing,” she said. “This program connects community members with the ability to keep youth safe while they access supports, continue going to school and avoid having to worry about their survival on the streets.”

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Second Annual Sleep Out Raises $2,000 For YES Shelter And Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre

Simal Iftikhar, a Trent University student, hosted the second annual Sleep Out in support of the Youth Emergency Shelter (YES) and the Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre (KSAC) on Saturday and raised $2,000 in support of both organizations.

Iftikhar at Saturday’s event. Photo courtesy of Simal Iftikhar.

According to Iftikhar, about 20 people joined her on Saturday night to sleep outside at the Peterborough Lions Club, while 10 people participated from home - sleeping in their own yards.

Saturday was damp, a bit cold and not much sleep actually happened says Iftikhar - though she noted that they were in a safe, enclosed space which is already more than those sleeping rough in Peterborough have.

Iftikhar hosted this event in hopes to raise awareness of the challenges homeless youth face, while fundraising for YES and KSAC.

The night began with a ‘round table talk’ with speakers from YES and KSAC attending to share information on the housing crisis in Peterborough and it’s relation to human trafficking.

“I think everyone waked away with a better understanding of the challenges that these people face daily,” she said.

To date Iftikhar has raised $2,000, which will be split between YES and KSAC. The GoFundMe will be open for the rest of the week for those interested in donating.

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YES Shelter Receives $50,000 From Rotary Clubs Towards Two Housing Units

The Youth Emergency Shelter (YES) can help their two new housing units after receiving $50,000 from Peterborough Rotary Club and Kawartha Rotary in a cheque presentation outside the shelter on Wednesday afternoon.

(from left to right) Atul Swarup, Peterborough Rotary volunteer; Marie Press, Peterborough rotary director of service; Aimee Le Lagadéc, YES executive director; Melissa Free, YES transitional housing manager; Brian O’Toole, Kawartha Rotary Club director and Carl Brown, Kawartha Rotary Club director of service. YES has been providing emergency shelter and transitional supports to youth and families in Peterborough City and County since 2000. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The two new housing units are part of YES’ RISE Youth Housing Program. The money will build the units, as well as renovate an existing 12-plex building to allow for the additional capacity. This funding is a part of Rotary’s Centennial Celebrations, helping the community in their 100th year.

The funding is part of a $100,000 pledge with Peterborough Rotary Club committing $75,000 and $25,000 from Kawartha Rotary.

“Many of our members feel very strongly about housing in Peterborough,” said Wayne Harding, Rotary Club of Peterborough president.

“This is a natural fit.” Carl Brown, Kawartha Rotary Club President stated “We are proud of our community involvement with this project and pleased to work with the Peterborough Club to make this important project happen”

“Right now, the homelessness rate in Peterborough is far too high and housing has not become more available or affordable through the pandemic,” said Aimee Le Lagadéc, YES executive director. “We also know that transitional housing is typically required for young people and families exiting homelessness.”

The project will begin this spring and will be completed by the summer of 2023.

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Local Teacher Sleeping Outside For A Week To Raise Money For Youth Emergency Shelter

Local teacher Aaron McFadden will be sleeping outside, for the second year in a row, to raise money for the Youth Emergency Shelter (YES).

Aaron McFadden and Brooke Erickson (YES). Photo courtesy of Aaron McFadden.

Last year after COVID cancelled McFadden’s travel plans he thought he would put the money he had saved for his trip to good use. He donated it to YES, and decided he would sleep outside, during the coldest week of the year, to raise awareness and money for youth homelessness and YES.

“I have three kids and I’m a teacher,” said McFadden. “Just recognizing that the Youth Emergency Shelter has always been an important charity. I’ve gone there, as a teacher, there’s a lot of good work and learning that happens there It’s such an important resource in our community, it was easy to pick them to donate to.”

This year McFadden’s fundraiser will look a bit different. He will be spending his nights outside beginning on Sunday until Feb. 21.

Because he is back to full time teaching he will only be sleeping outside for 12 hours at a time, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily.

“I realized, just because I’m working doesn’t mean I can’t do this,” he said. “As a teacher we do things together, we don’t do things on our own.”

McFadden hopes that his campaign will encourage people to participate in the virtual sleep out being hosted on March 25.

The virtual sleep out encourages participants to educate themselves on homelessness and share their learnings with other participants, friends and family.

McFadden’s fundraiser page can be found here. Updates throughout the week will be posted to the event Facebook page. His goal for this year it $1,500.

McFadden also hopes that his week long sleepout will bring attention to other initiatives happening around the city.

The Coldest Night of The Year walk is a family-friendly walk to raise money for local charities serving people experiencing hurt, hunger, and homelessness.

The Meaning of Home contest invites children in grades 4-6 to enter a piece of writing sharing what home means to them. Each entry will result in a $10 donation to Peterborough’s local Habitat for Humanity organization. This contest ends on Friday.

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YES Acting Executive Director Becomes Officially Appointed Into Role

After acting as Executive Director since September, Aimeé Le Lagadec, has been officially appointed the new executive director of the YES Shelter for Youth and Families announced Wednesday.

Le Lagadec’s was the acting exectutive director when the YES Shelter received $52,900 to aid in staff training from the Ontario Trillium Foundation on Oct. 19. Photo courtesy of Youth Emergency Shelter.

Originally from South Africa, Le Lagadec brings over 10 years of progressive experience in the social services field with a specialization in youth homelessness and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work.

She previously worked at Eva’s Initiatives in Toronto, known for its wrap-around support of young people experiencing homelessness in Toronto.

Since 2018, Le Lagadec has been the manager of the Outreach Program at YES, overseeing a team of YES staff directly supporting youth and families to avoid, recover from and exit homelessness.

“Stepping into this role in the midst of COVID-19 has been extremely challenging. That being said, I am proud to be the one who will lead the YES Shelter for Youth and Families through the remainder of the pandemic,” said Le Lagadec. “Last week’s cases (now resolved) in our Emergency Shelter and RISE Youth Housing Program come after two extremely stressful years for YES clients and staff, who are operating a frontline emergency service for a vulnerable population. The agency’s ability to continue operating with very little interruption, speaks volumes to the resiliency and dedication of our team. I plan to work alongside our incredible staff to continue to offer life-saving services, and increase the amount of affordable, supported housing options available to youth and families, who would otherwise be homeless.”

“We know that Aimeé will continue to inspire the vision for the organization that is aligned with the overall strategic direction, mission and values and provide executive leadership for the development and delivery of long-term strategies and programs to support vulnerable youth and families in our community,” said Kerri Boyd, YES Board Chair.

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In From the Cold Christmas Concert to be Livestreamed This Year

The 22nd Annual In From the Cold Christmas concert will be livestreamed from St. James United Church on Dec. 11 at 8 p.m.

File Photo.

The annual concert has been a mainstay of the Peterborough Christmas season since its inception in 2000, having raised over $150,000 for the YES Shelter of Peterborough over the years.

Last year’s audio retrospective, broadcast on Trent Radio, raised a record total of almost $13,000.00 through an online Canada Helps fundraiser.

“A year ago I never would have guessed that, this year, we would not be back at the Market Hall performing to a full house, once again,” said concert organizer, John Hoffman. “But, although things are much better with the pandemic, there were still some uncertainties around safety when we had to make decisions about staging the concert.”

Given the livestreaming possibilities that were developed by the St. James Players over the past 20 months, Hoffman and his colleagues decided to take the show online for this year. Performers will be playing live at the church, and people can watch the concert on the internet by going to stjamesplayers.ca/live

In From the Cold 2021 will feature a mix of traditional, Celtic and contemporary Christmas and winter songs performed by perennial In From the Cold hosted folk band Carried Away and their musical friend Curtis Driedger. What’s different this year that, for the first time, the Convivio Chorus will not be part of the show.

“We just couldn’t be certain enough about everyone’s safety and comfort,” explains Hoffman.

Driedger will not be appearing as Enrique “Roy” Claveer, but rather as a member of The McDonnel St. Gospel Quartet, who will render some Christmas songs in spirited country gospel style.

“This concert creates a warm and supported feeling for all of us at the YES Shelter for Youth and Families,” said Brooke Erickson, Development Lead at YES. “People experiencing homelessness in Peterborough can sometimes feel forgotten by their community. In From the Cold is an annual reminder that Peterborough is a city that comes together in support of their neighbours that are profoundly struggling.”

Tickets will not be sold for this event. The livestream is available free-of-charge but viewers and supporters are encouraged to donate to the In From the Cold fundraiser for YES at the following link when they enjoy the show.

https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/in-from-the-cold-peterborough-2021/

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Youth Emergency Shelter Launches Annual Holiday Wish List

The YES Shelter for Youth and Families (YES) has published their annual Holiday Wish List, and will continue to update it weekly.

Fundraising Administrator Kathleen Wild, who is coordinating the wishlist, and leading a group of volunteers to organize and wrap all of the holiday donations, so YES workers can distribute gifts to clients over the holidays. Photo courtesy of YES Shelter.

Each year YES asks young people and families that are struggling what items they would like to receive for Christmas. They focus on items that would give them joy, independence or help them enjoy the season.

From now until the end of December staff at YES will update the Wish List each Wednesday.

While the wish list is live all year, the Holiday Wish list features different items.

So far this year youth and families have asked for cosmetics, arts and craft supplies, gift cards for local businesses (especially coffee shops, gaming stores, clothing stores, book stores and nail salons)

“The holidays can be a really rough time for young people and families struggling with homelessness,” said Brooke Erickson, Development Lead at YES. “The YES wishlist not only brightens up the holiday season, but also helps young people and parents feel cared for by their community. It's a chance for Peterborough to show our neighbours that we're here for them, provide some much-needed essentials, and spread the joy of the season.”

YES cannot currently accept any used clothing or items at the shelter. Used clothing, housewares and furniture should be dropped off at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

The YES Shelter is open 24/7, 365 days a year. They provide emergency shelter to youth and families in crisis. Each year YES serves roughly 250 new clients , in addition to many who have stayed at the shelter before.

The shelter also offers long term transitional housing, alternative classrooms for youth, a food and clothing cupboard and outreach staff to help youth and families access the resources they need.

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Youth Emergency Shelter Receives $52,900 Through Ontario Grant For Staff Training

The Youth Emergency Shelter (YES) has received $52,900 to aid in staff training from the Ontario Trillium Foundation at the Murray St. Baptist Church on Tuesday.

Last year, Ontario Trillium Foundation nearly $112M was invested into 1,384 community projects and partnerships to build healthy and vibrant communities and strengthen the impact of Ontario’s non-profit sector. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The money came from the Resilient Communities Fund grant which was designed to help non-profits rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19.

The extra funding will be used to help with adding more staff training programs. This included Mental Health First Aid for, Natural Support Connection training provided by A Way Home Canada and the development of an organization-wide well-being strategic plan.

 “The YES Shelter for Youth and Families provides a critical service to young men and women in our community facing unique challenges. I have been proud to support their team as they carry out their diligent and compassionate work,” said MPP Dave Smith. “It’s often said that you should take care of the hands that take care of you. In this case, the mental health support this funding enables will ensure the dynamic, high-quality service offered by the staff at YES can continue as we move forward.”

YES has seen an increase in mental and physical health crises amongst those experiencing homelessness with far fewer supports available since March last year.

There has also been an organizational rise in staff burnout accompanying the additional pressures on front-line positions according to Aimee Le Lagadec, YES interim executive director.

“The onset of COVID-19 significantly increased the mental health needs of youth and families experiencing homelessness in Peterborough,” she said. “The Ontario Trillium Foundation made it possible for us to provide our staff with impactful training that has further equipped our organization to support youth and families during a crisis.”

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