Last updated November 9, 2021
To our amazing Eva’s community,
The past 21 months have been challenging for our team and young people. We are at a new point in the pandemic as COVID-19 vaccines are accessible and some parts of the world begin to reopen. However, youth at Eva’s continue to struggle as the pandemic has exacerbated inequities. We know that youth experiencing homelessness are disproportionately represented by 2SLGBTQIA+, Black, Indigenous, racialized, and newcomer and immigrant youth, who face systemic barriers that impact all aspects of their lives. COVID-19 has increased these systemic barriers.
I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our incredible staff at Eva’s for their passion and dedication to supporting youth in need during this difficult time. Thank you also to our donors and community for your continued support of this important work.
For youth experiencing homelessness, COVID-19 has increased their experiences of social isolation, the demand for mental health supports and community connection. Over the next year, we are looking to build strategic partnerships, resources and programs to support a healthy and thoughtful recovery for young people by delivering on:
- Program enhancements focusing on trauma-informed and culturally responsive mental health supports to youth.
- Developing and implementing an organizational-wide equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) strategy, centring the needs of Black youth so that all people are treated equitably in the work of Eva’s mission.
Thank you for stepping up with your financial support and your outpouring of care and concern throughout the pandemic. Along with donations, we’ve also had so many notes and calls, demonstrating your thoughtfulness. While we still have a long way to go, we are grateful for the support you’ve showed and know that we have a community of supporters who we can count on the way young people count on us. Thanks for being one of them.
To learn more about our impact over the last year, please check out our 2019-20 Annual Report. Click here to access the report.
Yours in community,
Louise Smith
Executive Director
Eva’s Initiatives for Homeless Youth
