We have been challenged as a community to change our routines in order to protect the most vulnerable. While most of us are doing our part by staying home and practicing physical distancing, Eva’s staff are front and centre, working hard to keep our doors open and our facilities safe and healthy for youth experiencing homelessness.
Shelters, like long-term care homes, are at a higher risk for COVID-19 due to the number of people who are in the facility and the challenges of physical distancing in such small spaces. Young peoples’ immune systems can often be impacted by their experience of homelessness for many reasons.
It’s critical that we take measures to keep our young people and staff safe. Now more than ever, it’s also important that we show our staff that we care about their health and appreciate them for continuing to show up for the young people who need them every day.
INCREASED EXPENSES
DUE TO COVID-19
Turn This
Lunch With Friends
Into This
Harm Reduction Kit
Harm Reduction Kit
YOUR GIFT PROVIDES LIFE-SAVING INFORMATION AND TOOLS TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE BE SAFER ON THE JOURNEY FROM CHAOS TO STABILITY.
Many young people who are homeless are at high risk of overdose and serious illness. When they come to Eva’s, they need harm reduction support to help them deal with substance use challenges.
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Drinks with Friends
Into This
Food for a Week
Feed a Youth for a Week
YOUR GIFT PROVIDES ONE RESIDENT WITH NUTRITIOUS MEALS AND SNACKS FOR ONE FULL WEEK.
Young people need daily nourishment to develop, be healthy and well, and have energy to thrive. We want to ensure they get fresh, whole foods such as produce, meat, chicken, fish, tofu, eggs, and dairy. Residents at Eva’s emergency shelter get three nutritious meals and two snacks a day.
Turn This
Dinner out with Family
Into This
Life Skill Learning
Life Skills Learning
YOUR GIFT ENABLES YOUTH TO LEARN THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY.
Prepare a young person to live their best lives and successfully transition to independent living. Youth get one-on-one and group learning in financial literacy, cooking and nutrition, housing, wellness, and communication and interpersonal skills.
Mithusan, a Youth and Services Worker at Eva’s Place.
“Our big challenge now is checking in on everyone and making sure their mental health and their coping strategies are in place to deal with the stressful situation that they are in,” says Mithusan. “We have had to set up and provide the informal counselling pieces. Youth no longer have access to external counsellors, so we are trying to fill that gap.”
Monique, a Community Support Worker at Eva’s Place.
“A popular activity that we can still do because people can spread out is bingo night,” says Monique. “We normally get donations that we can use for prizes, like a perfume or hair supplies but we no longer can collect those due to COVID concerns, so staff have been hitting the dollar store and buying candies and prizes themselves.”
Oseakina, a Recreation Coordinator at Eva’s Place.
“They would be juggling school and working. Others like to volunteer. Some are complaining of feeling unproductive and I can see that they are feeling down, ” says Oseakina. “But at the same time, the youth are courageous and resilient. I feel like we should be learning from the young people as well. Even though they are in a very vulnerable position, they know that they can make it through.”
At Eva’s we provide shelter, transitional housing, and programming to help young people, who are aged 16-24 and experiencing homelessness, reach their full potential to lead productive, self-sufficient, healthy and inter-dependent lives. Over the course of a year approximately 948 residents find shelter at Eva’s and we house 123 young people every night.
WHO WAS EVA SMITH?
- Eva’s was founded in 1989 by Eva Smith under our original name, North York Emergency Home for Youth.
- Eva Smith was a Jamaican immigrant and Black community leader who worked to address the disparate experiences of Black children in Toronto’s education system.
- Through her work, Eva also shed light on hidden youth homelessness, showing decision-makers the scope of the problem and rallying supporters to do something about it.
- In 1994, one year after Eva’s death and five years after the founding of the organization, Eva’s Place, the first physical shelter for young people was established.
CURRENTLY, EVA’S INITIATIVES FOR HOMELESS YOUTH HAS THREE SITES
Eva’s Place – providing emergency shelter
Eva’s Satellite – providing harm reduction services
Eva’s Phoenix – providing emergency shelter and transitional housing for young people