EVA'S BLOG

Eva’s Family Reconnect program helps prevent the cycle of youth homelessness. By building bridges to reconnect youth to themselves, their families (immediate or chosen), and their communities, our program helps young people re-establish, keep, and expand healthy and supportive relationships. Family Reconnect offers a trauma-informed and strengths-based approach, recognizing the trauma young people have experienced and how it impacts their behaviour and actions. Through coping mechanisms, family counselling, community connections, and skill-based training, we help youth decide how they [...]

We have made the decision to relocate two of our sites to a new location downtown. Our COVID-19 Hotel and Satellite programs will be moving to a new location at 92 Peter Street.   The staff and residents of Eva’s temporary COVID-19 Hotel program relocated on Monday, November 29. Eva’s emergency shelter and harm reduction program at Satellite is temporarily relocating effective December 6, 2021.  We're very excited to be co-located with other youth-serving agencies at the new hotel site. The youth we serve will continue to receive harm reduction and other wraparound supports in [...]

As we enter a new fiscal year at Eva’s, the Board of Directors is pleased to announce an important milestone at Eva’s Initiatives: an organizational leadership update. Today we are pleased to announce our decision to appoint Louise Smith as Eva's Executive Director, Aisha Francis as Chair of the Eva’s Board and Jessica Hardy-Henry as Vice Chair.  The Executive Director Appointment  Louise joined Eva’s in 2019. She comes to the organization with 20 years of experience working with youth in the non-profit sector, having spent [...]

Written by Audrey Taylor, Clinical Lead, Family Reconnect History tells us of our past and provides important lessons for our future. While the knowledge of and the study of the past is important, as it is the story of who we are, where we come from, and can potentially reveal where we are heading. Having good mental health is essential for all of us in understanding ourselves and world around us. Good mental health is as essential as the [...]

Mapping Black Futures is an interactive resource and story-mapping project, embedded in local Black geographies, and created for and by self-identified Black nonbinary youth and young women from across the GTA. Through this project, participants have built and curated a living community archive of places, events, and memories that are meaningful to them and their communities. Using open source mapping software and composed of a mixture of archival and original materials, Mapping Black Futures is a unique experiment in [...]

A past resident shares how Eva's changed his life. Young people at Eva’s need allies just like you to help end youth homelessness. Monetary donations ensure that Eva’s can continue to provide essential services and supports for youth experiencing homelessness.  Join the movement for brighter youth futures. Donate Now

We are pleased to announce that Eva's Initiatives was selected for Charity Intelligence's Top 10 Canadian Impact Charities, Top 10 Canadian Youth Impact Charities, and Top 5 Toronto Impact Charities of 2020 lists! This honour comes at a time when Canadian donors are putting much greater scrutiny into where they are donating their hard-earned money. Charity Intelligence researches Canadian charities so donors can be informed and give intelligently. Charity Intelligence uses their demonstrated Social Return on Investment (dSROI) framework [...]

Meet Gian Carlo Badilla, a Youth Service Worker (YSW) at Eva’s Satellite and now during the COVID-19 pandemic at the hotel. Gian has been with Eva’s for just over a year now and says his age gives him a unique perspective. “I am 23 years old. I am the same age/demographic of the people we serve. What’s special is that I can relate to whoever comes in, I find there’s always a connection,” says Gian. “Whether it’s discussing music [...]

Eva’s residents will be participating in a newly revamped culinary program called ‘What is on the menu? This five-week workshop uses tactile activities like creating a meal to incorporate other skills like financial literacy, time management, and budgeting. “I didn’t want to replicate a classroom setting with these sessions, cooking should be an enjoyable process that anyone, regardless of their skill-set can be proud of the meals they create,” says Linda Frempong, Program Facilitator, Eva’s Phoenix. “It is a [...]

We are thankful for each community-organized event in which individuals, businesses, groups, or schools raise funds on behalf of Eva’s. From golf tournaments and wine tastings, to bake sales, online garage sales, bowling nights, and virtual fundraising parties, no event is too big or too small. Every dollar raised will help give youth escaping a fresh start.   A huge thank you for our community members!   Game Changers   Game Changers built a culture of individuals who are caring and compassionate about [...]

A key part of Eva’s is our Print Shop. It is a commercial printer and social enterprise that provides print and graphic arts training and life skills to youth experiencing homelessness and barriers to accessing housing. The Print Shop reinvests any profits back into our shelter system and the youth we serve.   The social enterprise provides a paid employment training course, where students learn about customer service, digital printing, bindery, clothing printing, large-format printing, prepress and graphic arts using Adobe Creative Suite. [...]

Meet Bina Velinor, Residential Supervisor, Eva’s Satellite. “Our House” Bina Velinor has been with Eva’s for just over a year now. She believes that one of her essential tasks is connection. The first thing this Supervisor does each day, after checking in quickly with her staff, is to take a moment to connect with the youth she serves. “I may sit down with a young person, or sometimes I even play basketball with the youth,” says Bina. “And then, [...]