May 18, 2011
Winnipeg's Resource Assistance for Youth Receives National Award
– – –Local Organization Recognized for Excellence
The Winnipeg non-profit, street-level agency Resource Assistance for Youth (RaY) will receive an Eva’s Innovations Award in recognition of its commitment to work with homeless and at-risk youth, Housing and Community Development Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross announced today.
“This national award recognizes RaY as a leader in working with our most vulnerable citizens and helping them reach their potential,” said Irvin-Ross. “I’m particularly proud of RaY’s work in helping youth integrate into the community and in building a network of support around each young person.”
The agency is being recognized for the RaY Emergency Shelter and Transition (REST) program. REST uses private and public housing to provide youth with transitional housing. This housing offers an alternative to existing emergency shelters for youth who are escaping abusive situations, have ‘aged out’ of the child-welfare system, are waiting for treatment and/or require short-term supported accommodation before committing to a long-term living arrangement.
“An important piece of the success of this program has been the training we provide to youth on how to care for themselves, their living space and their personal finances,” said Kelly Holmes, executive director of RaY. “We want to provide youth with what they need, on their terms to better their lives.”
The province is supporting this program by providing Manitoba Housing units in Winnipeg at a value of $24,000.
The award comes with a $5,000 gift, sponsored by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.
Eva’s Innovations is an initiative of Eva’s Place, a shelter and programming organization in Toronto for homeless and at-risk youth.
More information on RaY is available at www.rayinc.ca/. Information on Eva’s Initiatives is available at www.evasinitiatives.com/index.php.
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