Covenant House for the Homeless
Organization Helps At Risk Youth Become Stable and Independent
Mar 22, 2009
At the Vancouver Covenant House on Drake Street, Community Giving Development Officer, Mark Savard sees up to 80 youth shuffle into their Drop-In centre each day.
He will see teenagers abusing themselves with meth, prostitution and violence. He doesn’t judge, Savard knows life on the streets is about survival, and he just wants to offer food, clothing and conversation.
“The life span of youth on streets generally is between seven to eight years,” said Savard. “ They usually can’t survive longer than that because of the lack of nutrition, hygiene and physical abuse.”
Savard said there are between 500 to 1,000 homeless youth living on Vancouver’s streets at any given time.
Receiving Donations
Recently, three students from Capilano University, in North Vancouver, raised over $2,500 after spending Sunday Mar. 15 to Friday Mar. 20 homeless on campus grounds, begging for donations to give to charity.
As part of a nation wide event called 5 Days for the Homeless eight Canadian universities took part and altogether collected over $150,000 for youth at risk. Capilano decided to give half of their total to Covenant House and the other half to the Urban Native Youth Association.
Savard said that with $1,100 one youth would receive five days of food, shelter and personalized professional care.
Homelessness to Independence
Vancouver Covenant House has four programs dedicated to help the homeless between the ages of 16 to 24.
- Outreach Program: A team of qualified staff visits the streets where homeless youth are usually found. They initiate contact with them and maintain relationships, offering help, food and clothing.
- Community Support Services Program: Youth 24 years of age and under can walk into the Drop-In centre and receive counseling, resources and referrals.
- Crisis Shelter: Doors are open 24 hours a day with accommodation for youth between the ages of 16 to 22. They can receive a bed along with food, clothing and a shower. They also receive help finding a job or going back to school.
- Rights of Passage Program: In an effort to transition youth from homeless to independent living, Covenant House offers bachelor apartments with guidance from residential advisors.
Hour to Hour, Minute to Minute
During the 5 Days for Homeless campaign, students expressed frustration over their poor nutrition, wet clothing, lack of hygiene and exhaustion from sleeping outside on the ground. Savard understood these comments and said they were examples of what homeless experience on a day-to-day basis.
“These people have to live hour to hour, minute to minute. This is why drug use is so rampant throughout the homeless, it numbs them from reality, staves off hunger and keeps them from sleeping, otherwise they might wake up without their shoes,” said Savard.
Covenant House began in New York City in 1972. Since then 20 facilities have opened in six countries. They have estimated there are over 750,000 homeless youth throughout America.
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