This night walk was the first community night walk to raise funds for Pathways for Children, Youth and Families of York Region, and awareness of youth homelessness in the Region. On Friday April 12th, 2013, members of the community came together at the Pathways' Home BaseYouth Drop-In Centre and walked through the neighbourhood, lifting their lanterns and raising awareness and over $12,000 for this important issue.
The event was a great success — thank you to all our sponsors, everyone who braved the wet and cold to walk with us, and all our tireless volunteers. Hope to see you all next year!
Why are we Fundraising?
Think youth homelessness isn’t a problem in York Region? You’re wrong. You just don’t see them. In York Region, up to 300 youth are homeless and there are only 26 shelter beds available for youth. At Pathways, more than 1,800 youth are helped by our programs and services every year and we see over 1,300 youth come through our doors at our Home Base Drop In Centres each year. We know the need is great and we must be there to help these youth in need.
That’s why we are walking to raise funds for Pathways’ youth programs such as Home Base, a one-stop complex where young people at risk of homelessness can access Pathways’ full range of programs — clothing and food, individual counselling, life skills, education upgrading, job and housing search including Pathways’ residential programs — designed to transition them from crisis to a place of safety and stability.