Last year’s Camp Out to End Youth Homelessness event was another success, but the organizers say more work is desperately needed.

A Way Home Kamloops Executive Director Katherine McParland says they raised $52,521.16 with over 60 people spending a chilly night in cardboard boxes.

The funds will go towards ‘Safe Suites’ – a youth housing initiative providing 24/7 wrap-around services.  And McParland notes the need is vital.

“Our last year’s homelessness count identified 138 kids that experienced homelessness in the past year,” she said. “We know this is a minimal number of the number of kids that are without a home every night.”

“We know there’s an urgency to act. We had three young people on our youth housing waiting list for A Way Home pass away last year.”

McParland says the hope is to open Safe Suites this spring but adds more funding is desperately needed to keep the project running over the long term.