Covenant House Vancouver

Clara Hughes is teaming up again with Bell's Let’s Talk Campaign to raise money for and awareness of mental illness in Canada.

I had the pleasure of hearing Clara speak at an announcement Bell was making in relation to their gift of $250,000 to the Streetohome Foundation as part of Covenant House Vancouver’s Semi-Independent Housing Program. She has battled serious depression in her life and is determined to help shed the stigma still associated with this mental illness.  I applaud her courage to speak out and to lend her name and energy to such an important cause.

In 2010, Bell announced the launch of an unprecedented multi-year charitable program dedicated to the promotion and support of mental health across Canada. Over the next several years, this multi-million dollar initiative will support a wide range of programs that will enhance awareness, understanding and treatment of mental illness and promote access to care and research across the country.

So if you are on the Bell network, please talk and text a lot on February 8^th as Bell will donate 5 cents towards mental health programs for every call or text made that day.

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With Christmas quickly approaching, some of the youth in the shelter have been contemplating what to give this year. Many of the youth have shown that despite their circumstances, giving a gift is very important to them. The team at Covenant House works together to find items that have been donated that are appropriate for youth who want to give a gift for someone else, rather than spending the money that they had worked hard to earn for their future outside of the shelter.

One youth proudly told his youth worker that he had visited his son for six hours recently and that he wanted to wrap some presents to his son for Christmas. This youth was surprised by his own skill level of wrapping these gifts as he laid everything out on the floor. I looked out the office window to see him focused; taking great care to do his best job wrapping these gifts, even getting help from another resident. I'm always surprised when, after awhile of relationship building with a youth, we learn they have children. It's inspiring to see how they have so much care and support for other loved ones, even as they struggle to get their feet on the ground while making the best of finding themselves in a crisis shelter. 

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Yesterday, Bell Canada announced gifts of $1.25 million to support mental health in British Columbia, including $1 million to the University of British Columbia's Institute of Mental Health (IMH) for the Bell Youth Mental Health IMPACT Project, and $250,000 to the Streetohome Foundation as part of Covenant House's Semi-Independent Housing Program.  Click here for the press release.

Mental illness dramatically decreases the chances of a homeless youth securing safe and affordable housing. Covenant House Vancouver’s mental health program ensures that our youths' mental health issues are diagnosed and treated, giving them the stability and health required to access existing housing in the community.

Click here to see the CTV news story.

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We are thrilled to announce an exciting opportunity to meet Elaine Lui of eTALK and laineygossip.com while supporting Covenant House.  In conjunction with Ford of Canada, Lainey is organizing a clothing drive for our youth (the upcoming winter season is fast approaching and we need your gently used clothing) and you can be one of the lucky people she visits on her pick-up route.

Click here for more details!

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The first day that “Tim” arrived in the shelter, it was obvious that he was a very special young man….special because of his cognitive abilities and special because of his spirit.  Tim had a huge gaping wound on his arm and it needed to be constantly rebadged.  Tim lacked the ability to see that and staff would call him in and offer to tend to it for him. Tim would almost bounce into the staff office, much like a puppy, lapping up the love and attention staff would give him while changing his wrappings and listening to his gentle voice.  You could tell Tim really appreciated the efforts of the staff and would often thank us by saying “God bless you Guys”.

The rest of the youth knew that Tim was different and sometimes isolated him and whispered comments about him.   We were all seated ready to eat our fabulous dinner when Tim came to the dining area with his tray, looking for a place to sit.  No one offered him a seat and I could see the hurt and rejection in his eyes.  I quickly asked Tim to join our table and he seemed relieved.  What happened next was something I will never forget…..

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Read it here and please share it with your friends!

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Many of the young people who come to Covenant House are more than homeless youth... sometimes they are homeless parents as well.  We are seeing more and more of the youth we serve having children of their own.  One of these youth is David. David is young, yet wise beyond his years because of years of dealing with abuse and abandonment issues.  During one of our daily meetings, he showed me the wounds that he self inflicted because of the emotional pain associated with not being able to see his infant son. 

Because he was unable pay child support, the mother said that he "wasn't worthy of seeing his son".  After consulting with our Case Management Team, it was agreed that David should be allowed to use some of his savings to pay some child support. 

Today, David went to visit his Son.  He spoke excitedly about being with his boy for 6 hours, and his eyes lit up as I have never seen before.  The impact the visit made on him is one that I’m sure will help guide him on a path to wellness.  He now has a reason to strive for a better future for himself and for his son. 

When he got back, he began singing with some of the other youth in the house as they played Guitar Hero.  He’s taking on a whole new persona within the house.  Before I left my shift, we spoke again about what a blessing his son was to him and I'll never forget his smile as he said; “Now I don't want to hurt myself... for my son... I need to learn healthy ways to cope with stress so I can be there for him.”  

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I just wanted to say a BIG Thank You to this center of youth crisis. My name is Julie and I was a youth in the 575 Drake Street in 2010 whom was lost and needed a youth worker to open my eyes. I had a pretty good life when I was growing up I just needed some one who cared and open my eyes. I truly am happy that this center does the best to help and to hear the youths. I personaly want to Thank Dan -  he is the one whom pushed for the best and I am thankfull. Thank you Dan specialy for those dance classes by Covey. I hope other youth do appreciate all the caring and arrangement they do with does activites.
 
I still keep in touch with some youths I came closer to. As for the present back in the east, my life is for the best and I am back with my childhood friends and I feel in love with one of my older friends. Also I am going back to college and living life as I should while I am young, that means traveling with others and exploring nature as it is are backyard. I am now trying to volounteer and get my papers for this field. You open my eyes to the fullest and I am greatfull.
 
I am planing in November to come visit only Vancouver City and Whisler with my other half and I am hope to drop by Covenant house to say a little hello. I wanted to write this message and hopefull it will be past on.
 

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