WRYM's March 2021 Netletter

THANK YOU!
This is a grateful “shout out” to all the participants, their sponsors, and Sue Freeman, the organizer of our most successful Rough Night Out on what was probably the coldest night of this year!

From WRYM to Resiliency
Often when a youth comes to The Windsor Residence for Young Men there is a void in their life due to the absence of healthy solid support systems, friends and family. One young man, Corey, truly faced this tragic loneliness. Despite his charisma, intelligence, and kindness, Corey did not have family or friends that he could count on. Time and time again, Corey's supports led him astray, turned on him or turned away when he needed them most. Upon coming to WRYM, Corey was experiencing homelessness, involved in several significant legal matters, struggling with schooling, and facing deteriorating mental health due to the serious issues going on in his life.

After supporting Corey through his legal matters, teaching him routines to succeed in his academics, and empowering his artistic dreams, Corey began to impress all of us with his perseverance and personal growth. By connecting him with community support to help manage his housing, mental health, physical health, finances, education, and legal issues, Corey's support system became the robust supportive "safety net" that WRYM can provide and every young person needs. 

We are proud to say that Corey has now been accepted into College, has been 'sponsored' for his artistic skills, and has transitioned to a semi-independent living apartment of his very own!

Thanks to your support and the hard work of our staff, Corey has replaced homelessness with hope, and added WRYM to his own resiliency. Way to go Corey; and, we still have your back!

Sustainability of WRYM
As most of you know WRYM is primarily sustained by the private donations of individual and corporate citizens to whom we cannot sufficiently express our appreciation. However, as is to be expected, most of your generosity is expressed during funding drives or seasons of giving which presents me with the problem of guesstimology during my budgeting efforts and future planning. Consequently, I am asking you to consider monthly giving for which we have an app. on our website through CanadaHelps with the use of your credit card, (while post-dated cheques work as well). Essentially, consider how much your donations to WRYM totalled last year, or what you plan to give this year. If it was $100, would you consider $10 per month, if $500 then $50, and so on.

I realize that this would also mean a 17% increase in your giving over the year; but, it would be less per month, help you budget too, can be discontinued at any time and division by 12 is also most appreciated as well; or, perhaps you would like to donate less on a monthly basis, reserving some for special times. I also realize that WRYM, while a charity, must be run like a business; but, unfortunately unlike most retail businesses, we cannot run on a “Black Friday” basis.

 (WRYM wishes to add Directors to its Board
WRYM can have up to 12 Directors on its Board while we function well with 7-8. However, looking to the future, we also try to familiarize new Directors with our procedures, mentoring them for positions as officers or committee chairs of our charitable corporation. If you, or someone you could recommend, are interested, please advise me by email ([email protected]) containing a short bio with work and volunteer experience as well as other interests. We are a working Board which remotely meets once a month for about 2 hours after about an hour reading reports provided the weekend before; but, invariably Directors are called upon to participate in fundraising and committee efforts as well. We encourage donors and employees of business donors, clubs and other funders to apply. At present, skills demonstrated in organizational efficiency and management, finance, media and public relations, as well as donor development would be appreciated. Directors are not involved in program management or delivery; rather, in providing the means by which to make same possible. Give me a call if you have questions. (226.221.8464)

​Stay safe, our guys need you!
Greg

​Gregory D. Goulin, LSM, JD (ret.)
Executive Director, (pro bono), & Founder