Jason had been staying at the Crisis Shelter for a few weeks and his goal was to get a job. After a successful interview Jason attended his first shift working in the kitchen of a very fast paced take away and dine-in restaurant on Granville Street. I was very eager to see how he had felt about his first shift.

Jason returned late that night to the Shelter with a dinner courtesy of his work and a big smile on his tired face. I asked him how the first shift had gone. Jason kept grinning and said that it was great, and that he felt like he had worked hard all night. Jason said that he felt good about taking on the responsibility of having a job. As I watched him walk around the common space that night he certainly looked different. He looked like he was walking taller, and he oozed a new sense of accomplishment.

Jason’s expression was priceless, and I couldn’t help but feel incredibly proud of him and happy for him. Weeks have passed since this event, and I still feel that way for Jason when he smiles that way. A smile that says, “Look what I can do. I will make mistakes along the way, and that is okay. I can learn from my mistakes and change my life path. I can do things by myself and make my own decisions.”

We were fortunate to receive $20,000 from TELUS for our Rights of Passage Transitional Housing Program! In this critical program, youth learn the skills that they need to live on their own such as goal setting, cleaning, cooking, and budgeting. They also pay a small program fee in “rent” that is returned to them upon their completion of the program that they can then use as a deposit on a new place, payment for education, or anything else that they need to get established.

Thanks to TELUS, this worthwhile program will continue to make a tremendous difference in the lives of our youth.

On behalf of all of us here, thank you for this wonderful gift!