Hope in a Hopeless World

At YSM we meet people every day for whom our first task is to restore their belief in themselves and their hope for their future. That conversation often begins with the most basic exchange – around food, the one thing that we ultimately can’t live without, opening the doors to a suite of supportive services provided by YSM and our partners.

It is so important to create hope for those who feel forgotten in our city. Once they begin to accept that they are of extreme value, gears shift within. They begin to believe they can make positive changes and develop the strength to persevere knowing that we stand behind them, believing that they can move forward.

Here are a two other ways we are creating hope across our city in 2018:

YSM’s new Evergreen Centre for Street Youth – YSM’s Evergreen Centre for street youth is currently undersized for our youth and as a result, we have secured a new building to move in to which will be three times the size so we can provide better services. The new space will offer expanded services and supports for street youth with a strong focus on mental health. This will create hope for a bright future among the estimated 6,000 homeless youth in Toronto.

Regent Park Community Hub – This will be a safe gathering place and we are currently planning its focus and designing the purpose of the space in collaboration with community members, local associations and social enterprises. This will help create hope by giving people a sense of community and create leaders who can

We invite you to help create hope in the city in a way that speaks to your heart. Get involved – donate, volunteer or share your gifts with others. Together, we can make a difference.

Angie Draskovic is the President & CEO of Yonge Street Mission (YSM). Her passion is to reduce chronic proverty in Toronto, Canada.