Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa and National Capital Region YMCA-YWCA Second Stage Youth Housing Program benefits from customer donations raised through The Orange Door Project campaign
The Home Depot® Canada Foundation’s fundraising campaign directs 100 per cent of funds raised to local youth-serving organizations
TORONTO, ON (May 28, 2015) – As part of its commitment to help end youth homelessness in Canada, The Home Depot® Canada Foundation launched its annual The Orange Door Project fundraising campaign today, which collects $2 donations from customers and gives 100 per cent of the proceeds to local youth-serving organizations.
Customers shopping in the Nepean, Orleans, Barrhaven, Gloucester, Kanata and South Keys Home Depot stores can donate $2 at the checkout in exchange for a (paper) Orange Door. One hundred per cent of proceeds stay in the community and go to support the housing and life-skills development programs at Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa and National Capital Region YMCA-YWCA Second Stage Youth Housing Program. The campaign runs until July 2, 2015.
Each and every month, YSB provides English and French services to 2,500 youth and families across Ottawa. YSB provides an integrated system of care, from prevention to intervention for street-involved and homeless youth in Ottawa and the surrounding region. Support from the 2015 The Orange Door Project campaign will enable YSB to replace the blinds in the shelters, and purchase new mattresses and mini-fridges for the shelters and transitional apartments.
The National Capital Region YMCA-YWCA, founded in 1867, is a volunteer-based association dedicated to developing and introducing services and programs vital to improving the quality of life for children, youth, adults and families. The Y’s Second Stage Housing for Youth is a co-ed transitional housing program for youth between the ages of 16 to 21. Specifically, the program offers safe and affordable housing and skill development programs.
“Every night in Canada, more than 6,000 youth don’t have a safe place to call home,” said Bill Lennie, chair, board of directors, The Home Depot Canada Foundation and president, The Home Depot Canada. “We believe this has to change. Our associates are passionate about this cause and together with our customers and local, youth-serving charities; we can give vulnerable youth opportunities for a brighter future.”
Quick Facts
- Youth are one of the fastest growing segments of the homeless population in Canada
- One in five shelter users in Canada are youth, ages 16 to24
- The male to female ratio in youth shelters is 2:1
- 41 to 43 per cent of youth experiencing homelessness were in foster care or group homes
- Youth who successfully leave the streets within two years or less are more likely to make a healthy transition to adulthood – making an intervention early is key to solving the problem.
About The Home Depot Canada Foundation:
The Home Depot Canada Foundation is committed to putting an end to youth homelessness in Canada. On any given night, more than 6,000 young people are without a place to call home, making youth homelessness one of the most urgent social issues facing Canadians today. Through The Orange Door Project initiative, the Foundation has made a three-year, $10-million pledge to support renovation and repair projects and programs that provide vulnerable youth with access to safe, stable housing and support services. For more information, please visit: www.homedepot.ca/foundation
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To coordinate a media interview or photo opportunity, please contact:
Emily DiCarlo, Public Relations Specialist, The Home Depot Canada
416-412-4142 or Emily_Dicarlo@homedepot.com
Candace Beres
Consultant
Direct: 416-969-2705
Fax: 416-920-1822