Written by Angie Peters, President & CEO of YSM How many people pop to mind when you think of who helped you become who you are? For me the big ones are my mom, piano teacher, Girl Guide leader, many of my teachers, my spiritual director, mentors in business and
Pictured above, YSM’s Housing Team, from left to right: Enoch, Stephanie Jessica, Kristin, Michael (not pictured Jacinta and Olaide) 30 years ago, YSM opened the doors of Genesis Place, a supportive 26-unit apartment complex. Families are created there, children grow up within its walls and residents face real-life challenges with
Our Computer Literacy Centre staff were excited to welcome children and youth leaders back for a fun-filled, educational camp experience! Over the course of the summer, 120 children have joined us for a hybrid camp experience, online and in-person. Each two-week session offered new adventures for campers, ages 9-14, including:
Written by Angie Peters, President & CEO of YSM We tend to think of poverty as something people experience because of choices they’ve made and – with better choices – they can overcome poverty. What if poverty was largely due to experiences that have shaped lives? Circumstances which causing individuals
“The stability I have now – it all goes back to the first step I took with YSM.” Emad came to Canada for a new life. When he arrived he relied on his personal experiences and goals to create a great future for himself, but had very few material possessions
Written by Angie Peters, President & CEO of YSM It’s no secret women disproportionately experience poverty in Toronto. Single parents, the majority of whom are women, and racialized females represent the highest percentage of our city’s residents who are living in poverty today. Why is that? One key reason is
Marie* loves her child and wants to give them the best possible life. This desire fills her with purpose and hope as she works to meet the needs of her small family and navigate the daily challenges she faces. Marie arrived in Canada alone at the young age of 17
Akwesi* and his wife were devoted donors in their birth country, before they came to Canada with hopes of building a more solid future for their family. Due to unexpected circumstances, they instead found themselves without a home, forced to live in office buildings and shelters here in Toronto. The
“I was sitting in a field in India,” said Eric, remembering the moment when Brother Christas reminded him to spend the same amount of effort helping his neighbours in Toronto as he’d already done in leprosy centres abroad. “I helped establish two missions, in Haiti and India, and they reminded
“I love learning new things!” said Moreen*, who’s in the process of learning both French and Spanish. She goes on to talk about her passion for volunteering, specifically serving meals or lending a hand in distributing groceries among community members. Moreen’s enthusiasm is contagious and, with the assistance of YSM’s
Daniel’s* perseverance and talent have seen him through a lot in his life. And it’s those gifts which have carried him through the past year, in helping him get back on his feet and create a plan to reach his goals. Due to COVID, Daniel was jobless, food insecure and
At YSM, we’ve seen how personal connections are a vital factor in building the ability of our community members to set goals, take steps towards them and, ultimately, create better futures. Through mentorship, participants find opportunities to build healthy relationships, discover their own strengths and envision new possibilities for themselves
Written by Angie Peters, President & CEO of YSM What’s your favourite meal? For me it’s definitely a chicken cacciatore I make these days in my Instant Pot. For many, simply finding something – anything – to put on the table each day is a struggle. Did you know? Access
Happy National Volunteer Week! We are so thankful to the many dedicated volunteers who give time and talent across all areas of YSM – you make our work possible each year. Not only are we blessed with individual volunteers, but YSM also has many partnerships with schools, churches and corporations
Donna Alexander works as a social worker at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), and specializes in addiction and mental health, primarily working with Black families and youth through the Substance Abuse Program for African Canadian and Caribbean Youth. In 2007, encouraged by one of YSM’s volunteers, Donna
