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Poverty Myth Busting: Understanding Poverty in Toronto

Poverty Myth Busting: Understanding Poverty in Toronto addresses common misperceptions, illustrates the current face of poverty in Toronto, and the role YSM is playing, together with others, to create a solution. Frontline workers from YSM discuss relief programs, explore different issues linked to poverty in Toronto, and our journey to

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What does it mean to journey with community members?

At YSM, the concept of goal setting is an integral part of how we journey with community members on their path towards stability. In some form, all of us have goals we aspire to fulfill. Some of them we consider small, like finishing a book or eating healthier. Whereas some

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Three people posing for camera

A Real Life Santa Claus: Supplying gifts of food across the community

Retired for over two decades, YSM volunteer Gus goes above and beyond to source and share donated food with YSM, for staff to make into nourishing meals for community members. Growing up, Gus was always providing food to his neighbours as his family had a grocery store on Centre Island.

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Wooden cabinet open

Commemorating 125 years of service, community and collaboration

2021 marks YSM’s 125th anniversary of serving in our city. To commemorate this special and memorable occasion, we used wood salvaged from the beams of YSM’s former site on Yonge Street to make a one of a kind time capsule to represent our work for future staff, volunteers, Board members

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What does Philanthropy mean to you?

At YSM, we use the word philanthropy a lot. It’s a fundamental component of our mission to end chronic poverty, a way for an individual, or even very many people, to participate in our vision. But if I were to ask you are you a philanthropist? I wonder what your

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GIVE 6IX: Overcoming Barriers to Housing

Written by Angie Peters, President & CEO of YSM Imagine not having a safe place to rest your head or to call home. Without a stable home, how would you even think about getting to work in the morning or focusing on your schoolwork in order to further your education

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Dr. Kathleen Schenk

Highlighting YSM’s real-life heroes – our Health Centre volunteers!

As you may have heard, our Evergreen Health Centre serving street-involved youth is expanding! If you aren’t yet familiar, YSM’s Evergreen Centre is a safe space for unstably housed and street-involved youth between the ages of 16 and 24. Each year, Evergreen opens its doors to thousands of youth who

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GIVE 6IX logo over young woman singing

GIVE 6IX: Finding Your Voice

“Was it even real? I talked to Ben Mulroney!” exclaimed Lilli, a YSM participant and one of six youth who had the opportunity to meet with and learn from Canadian broadcaster and celebrity Ben Mulroney. Lilli discovered YSM while living in a shelter. Initially, she came for the food and

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YSM staff Andrew on a porch

Managing YSM’s Health Centre Expansion

In 2018 YSM opened Phase 1 of our purpose-built Evergreen Centre for street-involved youth on Spadina Avenue. Now, in 2021, we’re excited to get started on Phase 2 and complete our Evergreen Health Centre expansion. The completed space will dramatically increase our range of services, reduce wait times and extend

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GIVE 6IX logo over Connecting the Dots Foundation supporting their community

Our Growing GIVE 6IX movement

Pictured above: Connecting the Dots Foundation, Nigeria, participating in GIVE 6IX GIVE 6IX is a city-wide, “do-what-you-can, wherever-you-are”, invitation for everyone to do 6 of anything to help neighbours experiencing poverty. Here is just a sampling of the amazing actions we’ve been witnessing after launching our GIVE 6IX movement to

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Happy young man in an office with GIVE 6IX logo

GIVE 6IX: Overcoming Barriers to Employment

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

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YSM Housing Team outside Genesis Place

Celebrating with Genesis Place

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

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Computer lab summer camper giving thumbs up next to a counsellor, both are masked.

Five “Cs” of YSM’s summer camp

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:

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Happy woman in a life skills course with GIVE 6IX logo

GIVE 6IX: Overcoming the Barrier of Isolation

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

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Emad smiling

Video: Emad’s story – growth, stability and joy

“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

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