The 2021 Campout to End Youth Homelessness in Kamloops. (Photo via A Way Home Kamloops)
A Way Home Kamloops, a non-profit dedicated to helping youth at risk of or experiencing homelessness, is celebrating the success of their annual Campout Event that took place on December 10th, 2021.
Although donations are still being collected through the website until January 15th 2022, the event has accumulated over $101,000 so far.
The fundraiser was conducted virtually over Zoom, while community members set up camp in various and safe locations in the city.
Campers were encouraged to collect donations and raise pledges, which will help fund crucial programs that support homeless youth.
The collected donations are vital to the programs and services A Way Home aims at supporting, including Katherine’s Place, a housing initiative being designed with A Way Home and BC Housing to create 39 safe homes for youth in need here in Kamloops. The building will be named after Katherine McParland, a former A Way Home Kamloops Executive Director who was a passionate advocate for youth in Kamloops and recently passed away in 2020.
Executive Director of A Way Home, Tangie Genshorek, tells NL that the supported housing that will be provided at Katherines place comes with a whole host of services.
She says, “We’re teaching folks life skills that can lead to employment and education. We’re connecting them to counselling services, and we’re connecting them to, you know, all kinds of support services in town with all of our other partners.”
Youth input is important to the organization when it comes to spending decisions.
“We wanna make those decisions with the youth we serve, so we’ll be undergoing an engagement process with them over the next few months, to talk to them and listen to them, and hear what’s gonna work best for them and what’s really needed. We wanna find the things that aren’t being accessed, and provide those”, the executive director says.
A Way Home is grateful for the help from their sponsors, and the community in this milestone. For more information on where to donate, or how to help, visit their website at https://www.awayhomekamloops.com/ .
