Education - Emergency Community Fund Grant

News Release – 17 December 2020 
Emergency Community Fund grant to assist youth at-risk of homelessness 
The United Way/Centraide Windsor-Essex County has awarded The Windsor Residence for Young Men (WRYM) $14,900 through the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF). The funding will assist youth who are at-risk of homelessness and have been hindered by COVID 19 in their attempts to pursue education, employment and reintegration into the community. The funds will be used to make tablet computers and part-time education help available at WRYM so that residents can use online learning resources to rebuild their lives. A staff member will assist them each school day with navigating their courses and communicating with their schools.

“We divert youth from the streets and provide a supportive home, individual counselling, and basic life skills,” said WRYM’s donor development chair Dave Freeman. “Then we introduce them to the resources and opportunities of their community – but the restrictions imposed by COVID-19 have made that outreach very difficult. Online learning will help bridge that gap and empower our residents to succeed. So, we are very grateful to The United Way/Centraide Windsor-Essex County, the Government of Canada and the Emergency Community Support Fund for making this success possible. “

The Windsor Residence for Young Men
WRYM teaches youth basic life skills such as hygiene, food acquisition and preparation, budgeting, social responsibility and work ethic. WRYM integrates homeless youth into the community, reconnecting them with extended family or independent living as well as education and employment. WRYM’s programs are cost-effective because they do not duplicate services already available, and volunteers handle the administrative work. Since opening its doors in 2012, WRYM has helped more than 330 youth to leave homelessness behind and build new lives. For more information, please visit www.wrym.ca

United Way/Centraide Windsor-Essex County
Founded in 1962, the United Way of Windsor-Essex (UWWE) is dedicated to improving the quality of life in its community and raises funds to address human service needs. It works in conjunction with local front-line charities to help combat poverty in Windsor-Essex County. For more information, please visit www.weareunited.com 

Emergency Community Support Fund
Launched on May 19, 2020, the Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF) is a $350M investment from the Government of Canada to support charities and non-profit organizations serving vulnerable populations as they manage the impacts of COVID-19.