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What’s new and exciting at
Youth Haven (Barrie)!
 Youth Haven
(Barrie) New Location Grand Opening (June 2009):
After two long years in waiting,
Youth Haven (Barrie) is entering a new phase in our history. For the
past three years Youth Haven (Barrie) has operated over capacity due
to its current location’s lack of space. Although our Toronto Street
location has provided a loving home for over 500 youth per year, its
9 bed capacity has not been able to meet the increasing youth
shelter demands of Simcoe County’s booming population. This February
we were blessed to purchase a new location, 20-22 Wellington Street
East, in order to increase our bed capacity and expand our programs
and services to better meet the needs of Simcoe County’s teen
homeless population. This 11 bedroom facility will be equipped with
15 transitional beds and 5 emergency spots.
Renovations are slotted to begin
this March 2009 with an opening ceremony planned for June 2009. In
attendance will be representatives from Canada Mortgage and Housing
Corporation (http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca:80/en/ab/noho/noho_017.cfm),
the federal and provincial governments, and our Capital Campaign
Sponsors. Community members are invited to attend this momentous
event and celebrate a huge step forward for Simcoe County’s only
youth shelter.
If anyone is interested in
contributing to this exciting new project, here are a few areas in
which we would greatly appreciate your help:
- Donate your time or services
during the renovations of the house and the upkeep thereafter
(snow plowing, grass cutting, general repairs of building,
painting etc).
- Donate gently used furniture
such as: single beds, new single mattresses, gently used
couches, large kitchen table with chairs, coffee tables, dishes
and kitchen wares, new single mattresses, gently used blankets
and linens, curtains etc.
- Donations of hygiene items
(razors, shampoos, deodorants, toilet paper, tampons, tooth
brushes and toothpaste)
- Donations of food (canned
goods, dry food stuffs, milk, cheese, yogurt, meats, lunch
items)
- Donations of clothing
(seasonal clothing, work boots, shoes, jackets, school uniforms,
new socks and underwear)
- Pre-made dinner donations to
feed 20 youth (pre-made bulk dinners such as lasagnas, spaghetti
dinners, chili, turkey suppers, casseroles, baked goodies)
For further information on how you
can help, please call Sarah Lockhart or Nicole Barkley at
705-739-7616.
Re-visiting 2008
Evening of
Crystal Enchantment (November 1, 2008): Our second annual
gala was held at the Georgian College Dinning Room on November 1st.
Cocktails started at 6:00pm and dinner started at 7:00pm. The event
boasted a dj, buffet dinner, dancing and silent auction. All
proceeds went towards the expansion of our home.
"Just
Gifts" Bazaar (November 22nd and 23rd from 9:00 - 1:00, 2008):
In order to celebrate the season of
giving, of family and friends we participated in St. Mary's Church's
"Just Gifts" Bazaar in November. Guests had the opportunity to
purchase Youth Haven specific gifts to give to friends and family,
and to give hope to the youth who call Youth Haven home.
Violence
Prevention through Narration Program (January 2008 - June 2008):
Because we are aware of the
violence that youth experience first hand, in relation to hate
crimes, intolerance and bullying, we are launching a new program in
collaboration with Talk is Free Theatre to develop a therapeutic
dramatization of youth's experiences with violence and hate crimes
to perform at local high schools. The experience proved invaluable
to participants and left a lasting impression on spectators.
Looking Back at
2007:
Masquerade
Gala (Oct. 27):
This fall we hosted our first
masquerade gala, "One Enchanted Evening," at Georgian College in
order to raise money for the integral services that Youth Haven
provides to its residents. The gala featured dinner, dancing, spot
prizes and a silent auction. It was a smashing success and an
excellent opportunity dust off those dancing shoes while supporting
a vital cause. We raised almost $6,000 with that evening through the
generosity and support of our community! Thank-you.
"Just
Gifts" Bazaar (November 2007):
In order to celebrate the season of
giving, of family and friends we participated in St. Mary's Church's
"Just Gifts" Bazaar in November. Guests had the opportunity to
purchase Youth Haven specific gifts to give to friends and family,
and to give hope to the youth who call Youth Haven home. We would
also like to thank the many generous givers in Simcoe County who
donated money, gifts, food and stockings to our youth this holiday
season. Your generosity ensured that our youth enjoyed a memorable
Christmas! Not one day passes when we do not remember your
generosity in our hearts and prayers. Thank you!
Keeping
Our Kids off the Street Campaign (June 2007/ 2008):
This past June, in collaboration
with Second Cup on Dunlop Street, A & P Foods, Tunnel Clothing, Page
and Turners, Kiddie Cuts and the South End Wal-Mart, we launched our
logo sale and awareness campaign. With the support of these stores
we were able to raise $500.00 from the sale of our logos while
increasing our awareness within the community. This June we will
re-approach local businesses to ask them to help support this
campaign by selling logos for $1.00 to customers in support of our
home. All proceeds go directly to our home and programs.
School
Challenge Campaign 07 / 08 (March 2008):
After the wonderful success of last
spring's school campaign, we will be hosting our 2008 school
challenge campaign this March. Last year we had 6 enthusiastic
schools participate in this campaign and we hope to work with all of
the Simcoe County Schools this year. The goal of this campaign is
simple: come up with fun and creative fundraising ideas to raise
money for Youth Haven! The school who raises the most money will win
a video dance from Cyber Force!
Please continue to check our
website for updates on more exciting events as we continue to
develop them. Feel free to send us pictures of yourselves, your
classes, and your businesses participating in these events so that
we may post them on our website and celebrate the generous and hard
work of all the people involved in the event's success! If you have
any questions, or would like to help out at any of these events,
contact Sarah Lockhart at 739-7616 for further information. When you
invest in the youth of today, you foster the leaders of Barrie's
tomorrow.
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