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An opinion piece of interest on CBC: Take it from someone who has been in a gang: tackling the symptoms won't fix the problem …But while access to after-school programs, counselling, mentorship and employment are all pieces that can have a protective effect against violence, they may not actually change the blueprint that causes violence in the first place: systemic racism, poverty, unemployment and toxic masculinity.” https://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/gang-violence-1.4975700  Mohammed’s Story After a long day, a vacation, or just some time away, isn't it nice to go home? For many of our guys, the idea of home has been more a misunderstood concept than a reality. Yet, because of our tireless staff dedication and the commitment of you - our supporters - we are happy to tell you that again one of our guys has gone home. Before coming to the Windsor Residence for Young Men, Mohammed's parents struggled to accept him for who he was, and his different beliefs and values. As a result, his home-life had become unbearable to all; and, he was at-risk of being on the streets. Although this was a dark point in his life, it was also when Mohammed turned to WRYM for a second home. Here he found a safe place to work on himself and his relationship with his family. Overtime, he and his mother began to accept each other's point of view, and she became proud of all he accomplished at WRYM with work and school. Slowly but surely, this individual and his mother began to talk about living together again having found acceptance of each other's beliefs. We are happy to say that he has returned home for good. Although we enjoyed being able to provide him with a safe-place, some skill building, and a platform for self-actualization; nothing is more fulfilling for than to see this family become whole again. Thank you for making it possible! Best Birthday Ever on “The Coldest Night Out”  It was a “hoot” staying up all night in an industrial parking lot with other crazy people, including staff, board members and my youngest son. Many of you stopped by with warm coffee, even a birthday cake complete with candles – some “hand out”. But, most gratifying of all, because of the hardy souls who joined me and those who sponsored all of us, almost $10,000 was raised to continue providing a “home” for “our guys”. The most important Things in life are NOT Things! Thank you, so very much! 
Upcoming Events
A hand up – not a handout. Gregory D. Goulin, LSM, JD
Executive Director, (pro bono)
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 A Cold Night Out - The Coldest Night of the Year, Again !!! I’d like to challenge you once more to spend as much time as you can with me, as if you were experiencing homelessness, on a commercial/industrial parking lot at 1350 St. Luke Road in an unique part of Windsor on the Coldest Night of the Year, (my 70th birthday), from 5pm on Friday, the 22nd until 7am on the 23rd of this month. The rules of participation are strict, challenging and contained in the information attachment below. You will check in on site at 1350 St. Luke Road, Windsor, Ontario, by submitting this form, fully completed, as well as the pledge sheet(s) (also below) and funds collected to date.
We can never duplicate the desperation of homelessness. The rules listed allow for participants to leave at any time with the knowledge that they have a warm home, hot bath and a good meal to return to. Something the homeless can only dream about while facing another night of misery. Something participants might think about, too! We are doing this to raise funds to help our guys at WRYM through pledges based on the hours you will last that night, out in the cold. You must bring the signed Release and Pledge Sheet with you. You are welcome to challenge or decline and sponsor others, ( even me)! See you in 3 weeks time? I would like to thank Dave Woodall of Medachrom Holdings Limited for the use of a unique piece of property, (with an on-site warming centre and washroom!) Our WRYM 2018 Year End Statistics Our program success rate, measured in the number of residents who have left the streets, is 92%, with a 3-year average of 90%. See that success and more in our WRYM 2018 Year End Stats - download them here!
 Something to Think About Local news (CBC, 01/07/19) ran a story about a homeless shelter titled, “Why Adult Shelters are Scary for London’s Homeless Youth”. CBC noted that the current system involving youth accessing emergency shelter in a shared space with adults is highly problematic and that these sorts of shared spaces put youth at greater risk of:
Please let me know your thoughts at greggoulin@cogeco.net 
We offer a hand up – not a handout Greg Gregory D. Goulin, LSM, JD Executive Director, (pro bono) A Former Resident "I appreciate everything WRYM has done for me. The organization has taken care of me through my studies and even found me a job. I will carry this debt from the program for the rest of my life."  A Donor "I wanted to donate to a local charity this year for Christmas. I chose this charity because I believe, as homelessness is getting worse in our community, this is one of the organizations that helps to reverse the trend. By showing people who experience homelessness that there is support for them - helping to give them the skills to succeed and giving them confidence - I believe you are giving them the greatest gift someone in their situation can ask for. Keep up the good work!"  Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will feed himself for a lifetime.  A hand up – not a “hand out”.
Gregory D. Goulin, LSM, JD Executive Director, (pro bono),  "Sending you a big holiday hug this season” A message received at WRYM: “My son resides at WRYM and you have been nothing short of a Godsend. I only wish …I could …. thank you all with a hug. God bless all of you - A very thankful mom … " Thanks to all of you! – citizens and donors of time, stuff, and the funding which make our efforts possible. You have brought some Peace to at least one mother’s heart.  Thanks to WRYM’s Corporate Sponsors Contents Processing Centre (CPC) Recycling Depot Proceeds- November 5-30 Proceeds are going to support Windsor Residence for Young Men of Windsor Essex County. "Help keep electronics out of our landfills and support your local charity!”
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will feed himself for a lifetime. WRYM offers a hand up, not a hand out.
Gregory D. Goulin, LSM, JD Executive Director, (pro bono)  Our Guys Keep in Touch This month we would like to spotlight one of our past-residents who recently came back to visit us. Mark came into our program in the spring of 2017. He is a new Canadian who was suffering from regular parental abuse which started at a very young age. Mark was overcome with depression and other mental health issues, which quickly turned into thoughts of ending his life and a struggle with addiction. Mark’s unstable life had left him without a high school education and unemployed. When Mark learned that he was also going to be a father, he came to Windsor Residence for Young Men in hopes of becoming the “type of father he never had.” During his four motivated months with WRYM, he resumed school, gained full-time employment, and was connected with the appropriate community partners to assist with his mental and physical health, as well as other areas of need. When Mark left us in the fall of 2017, we were sad to see him leave but confident he would be able to stand on his own two feet. A year later, Mark decided to stop by, as many of the “brotherhood” do, and we were pleased to learn that he finished his high school diploma and is now in college while continuing work to make ends meet. Mark’s baby is happy and healthy; and, he is a very proud father!!! He inquired of our staff, expressed great appreciation of them, and was quick to smile when telling us about how his life is now. While Mark has all the amazing struggles of being a new father ahead of him, a home is not something he worries about any more. Thank you all for helping to make Mark’s story possible. (P.S. As I write, there are four of our guys in the kitchen learning how to make apple crisp. It is a loud, hilarious and joyful experience that would bring warmth to your heart, too.)  An Educator’s Thoughts ( and Actions) About WRYM “I was the principal at Walkerville Collegiate Institute when the Windsor Residence for Young Men started; and, it has always been an organization that has been special to me because I see the difference it makes in the community for our young males who have nowhere to go. This year is our first year selecting agencies to donate funds to and we have selected Windsor Residence for Young Men and United Way On Track to Success Program.” Want to Know More About WRYM? Fill out the attached Request for Information sheet and send it back; or, sign up for a Tour and Talk.
 Did You Know? WRYM receives absolutely no funding from the United Way of Windsor and Essex County, while receiving about $2,000 a year in designated donations from the United Way of Greater Toronto. Thank You Home Depot Canada, again!  The Orange Door Project Holiday Fundraising Campaign is taking place at all The Home Depot stores across Canada from November 29th until December 16th. Buy a $2 ‘paper door’ at the checkout of the Division and Walker Road Home Depot in Windsor and 100% of funds raised will benefit The Windsor Residence for Young Men. Together, we can put an end to youth homelessness in Canada. help end youth homelessness by buying a $2 paper door at the Home Depot Walker&Division checkout. Or, at www.orangedoorproject.ca under “Fund” select store fund “ON, Windsor-7228” so that your donation benefits #WRYM. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will feed himself for a lifetime. Gregory D. Goulin, LSM, JD
Executive Director, (pro bono),  Excerpts from a Grandparents’ Letter We write “as an expression of our gratitude for taking in our grandson”. We “are truly grateful that you and your staff were able to come to his rescue and assist him in his future endeavours in becoming a worthy contribution to today’s society. We have seen a major positive difference in him and we have you to thank for that. In such a short time he has displayed to us a very positive outlook on life and we firmly believe that it has all to do with his new home at Windsor Residence For Young Men. …thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping us to introduce him to society and giving him the chance he truly deserves.” Percy Hatfield is the recipient of WRYM’s 2018 Community Awareness Award  WRYM President Susan Freeman (L) and Executive Director Greg Goulin (R) have presented MPP Percy Hatfield, Windsor-Tecumseh, with the WRYM Community Awareness Award. Our Board of Directors presented the Windsor-Tecumseh MPP with this award that recognizes individuals, corporations and groups who, by their actions, appreciate the community need for the provision of transitional housing and life skills to homeless male youth. "I am flabbergasted," said Hatfield. "I am so honoured that I have received this award. This is a big deal and I am going to proudly display it!" Thank you Colautti Brothers!
Thank you Colautti Brothers Marble Tile & Carpet (1985) Inc. and Tom Marshall for replacing all of our high use main level flooring and carpeting our upper stairway by way of a donation. Friday November 2 is Random Act of Kindness Day  The WindsorEssex Community Foundation (WECF) invites you to join them in celebrating Random Act of Kindness Day by performing a simple act of kindness for someone else. Please let them know what you have planned for Random Act of Kindness Day if you do chose to participate by contacting Ajsela Murselovic, amurselovic@wecf.ca , because they would love to hear and promote the good work that you are doing. Thursday, November 15th , is National Philanthropy Day Philanthropy is “generosity and good will in action” and “the love of humankind”. National Philanthropy Day® (NPD) is the day that thousands of people around the world come together to both (1) put that word into action and (2) recognize the change that word has brought to our communities. (For more information, visit the Association of Fundraising Professionals. And Tuesday, November 27th, is Giving Tuesday – quite a month! An International Review Preventing Youth Homelessness: An International Review of Evidence (link) has recently been published and among its conclusions is noted the following: “Evidence indicates that youth-focused housing models, including Housing First for Youth and the Foyer model, show considerable promise for preventing youth homelessness. In order to implement these housing models, many communities need to increase the availability of affordable, youth-specific housing. Strengthening family, natural supports, and community connections for youth is a critical component of effective housing stabilization efforts. Interventions that include family mediation, family counselling, and family reunification report stronger outcomes. Housing-led responses are more effective when they provide supports to address youths’ wellbeing, social inclusion, connection with community and culture, and engagement with education, employment, and training.” This is what we do at WRYM, realizing that before any type of a Housing First program can work, a community must first have social housing available, which Windsor-Essex does not. The program of the Windsor Residence for Young Men has been recognized as a modified Foyer model.  Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will feed himself for a lifetime. Gregory D. Goulin, LSM, JD Executive Director, (pro bono) The 6th Birthday Party for the Windsor Residence for Young Men was a Great Success ! It was hosted on Wednesday, October 4th , by the Giovanni Caboto Club Charity Pasta Dinners Volunteers who hold fundraisers for 12 community charities each year, carrying on a tradition that goes back to 1925. Our 6th Birthday Party raised $3,657 for WRYM to assist “our guys”. “We like to give back to the community,” said Caboto volunteers’ chair Alex Sorrentino. THE YOUNGEST AND HAPPIEST DOOR PRIZE WINNER was certainly 4 year-old Leto Lehman, seen above being assisted in curbing his enthusiasm by his mother, Yvette.  The Solcz Family Foundation Grants WRYM $40,000/yr. for the next 5 years! Kyrsten Solcz, Executive Director of the Foundation said: “The Solcz Family Foundation is delighted to award Windsor Residence for Young Men (WRYM) with a grant to support their on-going efforts to help young males who are experiencing homelessness. Through their work, WRYM is addressing the root causes of homelessness and ensuring the youth they reach are better positioned for success. The Solcz Family Foundation is proud to partner with Windsor Residence for Young Men and support the great work they do for the Windsor-Essex community.”  Front with cheque: Nick Solcz (L) and (R) Kyrsten Solcz (Executive Director) – Back L-R: Len Solcz, Greg Goulin (Executive Director, WRYM), Susan Freeman (President, WRYM), Manuela Solcz, and Marty Solcz. The Plasman Group purchases a Complete Set of Specialty Mattresses for WRYM Shauna Hatch, Plasman Group’s Vice President of Human Resources, explained why the company chose to assist WRYM as follows: “Plasman Group is happy to again be a partner to the Windsor Residence for Young Men (WRYM) this year. Our Company’s giving mandate is to support children and youth agencies across the globe in cities where our Plasman Team Members live and work. WRYM is changing lives of young men from 16-20 years of age in the city of Windsor by providing supportive, transitional housing to those who are homeless or who are living in an unacceptable environment without appropriate adult support. Their assistance of 50 young men each year in their group home with individual counselling, and teaching basic life skills such as hygiene, food preparation, budgeting, social responsibility and work ethic betters everyone in our community. Our relationship with the residence dates back over five years and we have seen first-hand how our support gives opportunity for education, employment and independent living skills.”  Thank you!
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will feed himself for a lifetime. Gregory D. Goulin, LSM, JD Executive Director, (pro bono) WRYM’s 6th Birthday Party WRYM’s 6th Birthday Party is on Wednesday, October 3rd this year, from 4-7 p.m. at the Caboto Club. The Community Awareness Award winner is to be announced. Raffle prizes are needed.  Travis – A Success Story When Travis’s mother realized she did not have the time or ability to help her son overcome his mental health and behavioral issues which impacted their home life, she turned to Windsor Residence for Young Men for support. Rather than simply telling Travis to leave their home permanently, she wanted him to be able to return if he was able to improve on the issues that made their relationship unhealthy. From diversifying his coping mechanisms for anger, to developing a self-reliant mind-set, Travis spent three months in the program attempting to meet the goals needed for a family reunification. Travis participated in counselling, worked on Kid Next Door jobs, attended a summer art camp, and began taking an interest in both his appearance as well as his hygiene. On a regular basis, Travis, his mother and our staff would meet to review progress and ensure everybody was satisfied with the plan. With encouragement from staff, both Travis and his mother even attended family counselling together to work on their relationship. With both Travis and his mother committed to their relationship, the tireless efforts of our staff and the continued dedication of all our supporters have made it possible for Travis and his mother to now live happily together again. WRYM is “on target” The "What Would it Take?" Report Is a tool for change by Did French and Dr. Kaitlin Schwan , A Way Home Canada, and The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness. In honour of International Youth Day 2018, the report captures the perspectives of over 114 young people about ending youth homelessness in Canada, and it serves as a useful tool for policy and practice change. Themes from the report were used at a recent Youth Conference held at the University of Alberta as a guiding framework for discussion. And, research is beginning to establish that your “investment” in our program designed to end homelessness - not support the state of being homeless - actually saves our community money. See the one-page download “Ending Homelessness Saves $”.
 Thank You, Green Shield Canada! On Friday, the 10th of August, 2018, WRYM received $57,684 from Green Shield Canada for the fourth year of funding of our Mental Health Navigation program. GSC has provided the impetus to focus our ideas into an efficient and effective core program - one that is truly consistent with our approach to ending homelessness for “our guys.” By teaching life skills we provide our guys with the independence necessary to walk away from abusive situations. Teaching them how to access existing agencies in our community, particularly in the field of mental health, is a vital life skill. WRYM was founded on the principle that we would not duplicate existing services but assist in accessing them. Today the “magic word” is “collaborative” and we are proud to be one of the minor but dedicated players. For more information, download the document Frontline Collaborator below. Thank you so very much, Green Shield Canada! (PS - a "reliable source” says we should be able to announce more great funding news later in September!)  The Kids Next Door program resumes its school schedule On behalf of “our guys”, I would like to thank all of you who sought their supervised assistance this summer. It was a very successful program that put some money in their pockets while teaching a work ethic and providing the same opportunities as their peers from functional families. Now, we are resuming our school schedule - Saturdays only - under the volunteer supervision of Joel Thibodeau, owner of My Green Knight home services. Joel’s a gem. Here's a Kids Next Door flyer for you!
Welcome our new board member! We are pleased to welcome Rev. Dr. Matthew M. Durham, csb, of the Basilians, to our Board of Directors. To see a full listing of WRYM’s Board of Directors please visit our WRYM Board of Directors page. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him to fish and he will feed himself for a lifetime. Gregory D. Goulin, LSM, JD
Executive Director, (pro bono)  My time at WRYM Before I was living at WRYM, I lived with my mother. She was a single mom. My father left a few months after my birth. Me and my mother had our fair share of fights almost everyday, progressively getting worse. She sent me to WRYM to learn how to live on my own and deal with my anger. Now I’m doing extremely well. I worked with the Kid’s Next Door Program, and bought things I needed for a long time to further progress in music! I have also learned to cook things like stir-fry, and chicken. I have learned how to maintain a schedule and a daily routine for personal hygiene, and to do chores like washing dishes, sweeping and mopping floors, and so on. Me and my mother now go to counselling together to work on the way we treat and talk to each other. This was arranged by WRYM.  The Windsor Residence for Young Men has entered the Dowler-Karn Fueling Communities $75,000 GIVE-AWAY! Now, to be considered, WRYM needs 50 or more “sponsors” of our work for homeless young men! You, your friends and family can be a sponsor. There is no cost to be a “sponsor”, except that of your time. Get the project link by clicking on our project from the list shown at http://dowlerkarn.com/fueling-communities-75000-give-away-applicants/ and you can share to Facebook & Twitter directly from the project page (click on “Share” at the bottom ) **PLEASE NOTE: Sponsors should try to register using GOOGLE CHROME if they are having issues. They will not be able to register using Internet Explorer. If you are still having technical difficulties, you can also sponsor a project by emailing giveaway@dowlerkarn.com with your full name, email address, postal code & the project you would like to sponsor.  WRYM extends appreciation to:
 The WindsorEssex Community Foundation Needs Our Help As you may recall, the WECF gave WRYM $10,000 last December to assist in the continuance of our Kid Next Door project, from which we believe many of you, as well as our guys, have benefited. The WindsorEssex Community Foundation wants to hear from YOU! Please take 15 minutes of your time to let them know what you think of the quality of life in Windsor/Essex for their 2018 Vital Signs® survey. Released each October, the Vital Signs® report combines national, provincial, and local data with residents’ views of important issues. The report is used as an educational resource to engage the Windsor/Essex community in ongoing dialogue of what Windsor/Essex is doing well and where assistance is needed most so we can make our community an even better place to live, work, play and grow. Please click on this link to complete the survey: https://wecf.wufoo.com/forms/z1rkosop15mdfcd/ Those who complete the survey in full have the opportunity to enter for a chance to win $100! Let them hear your voice!  Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him to fish and he will feed himself for a lifetime. Gregory D. Goulin, LSM, JD
Executive Director, (pro bono), Why wrym is necessary in our community - Attached you will find a sobering report from British Columbia’s Coroner’s Office on youth transitioning from care, at risk of homelessness, or homeless. We are fortunate to have a good relationship with the Windsor Essex Children’s Aid Society, especially for those male youth transitioning out of foster care. For more information online, visit this link. The full report is also attached below. If you doubt what I say, read the second attached article. WRYM is the only provider of transitional housing for male youth in our community. We give “our guys” the basic life skills and continuing support to get and keep them off the streets. Their consequent ability to access the private rental market has become even more crucial as we have recently learned that the wait list for social housing units has increased from 4,040 in the Fall to 4,700; and, 68% of the homeless in our community are male.
Outputs vs. outcomes I have often said that WRYM does not support homelessness – we try to end it, for “our guys”. An “output” is the number of meals served or the number of bed nights our guys shelter under our roof; but, how does such end homelessness? Such “assistance” may actually support the state of being homeless. While we keep track of those statistics, to us they are meaningless. What counts is our “outcomes” – how successful we are at “getting our guys off the street”. That’s where our program becomes meaningful. Except in emergency, no one comes to WRYM to get a meal, but to learn how to make it – not to “flop” or “couch surf”, but to learn how to make their own home. “Our guys” must commit to learning the life skills that will turn them into productive citizens AND we’re good at it! Assisting on average 50 each year, 74% left the street in 2015, 80% in 2016, and remarkably 98% in 2017. Of those succeeding with our program, about 1/3 were re-united to family, 1/3 found supportive housing appropriate to their needs, and the other 1/3 found their own place to live with a job or educational funding, usually both. These are the numbers, the “outcomes”, that are meaningful to us: a success rate between 74-98% at getting an average of 50 young guys off the street each year!  Serious immediate need – new mattresses After almost 6 years of hard use we need 10 mattresses, but just not any mattresses – ours are institutional grade and must be bug proof, water proof and fire retardant. We have a good quote at $3,800 with tax, delivered; but, after our sewer disaster earlier this year, even with everyone’s generosity, we do not have such funds in the budget. If you can help, please contact me. A safe mattress is basic to safe shelter, which is basic to our program. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him to fish and he will feed himself for a lifetime. Gregory D. Goulin, LSM, JD
Executive Director, (pro bono) |
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