StepStones for Youth

📢 The global day of generosity, Giving Tuesday, is on December 3 which is fast approaching and is the perfect opportunity to call on our community for supporting youth who need it most. This day marks the start of the season of giving, and for StepStones, it kicks off our annual Home for the Holidays campaign. 💚 At StepStones for Youth, we believe that everyone deserves a safe and supportive place to call home. However, youth from the foster care system face a significantly high risk of homelessness. Every dollar raised in the Home for the Holidays campaign helps StepStones provide crucial supports to help youth stabilize housing and meet basic needs. Our goal this Giving Tuesday is simple. By the end of the day we are aiming to raise $3,500—enough to support a young person in our Building Connections program for an entire year 🏡 ⭐️ Spread the word and learn more about our Home for the Holidays campaign: https://lnkd.in/evyDFcJf #StepStonesforYouth #HomefortheHolidays #homelessness #donate #GivingTuesday #support #charity #nonprofit #seasonofgiving 

Calling All Volunteers!    StepStones for Youth thrives thanks to our incredible community of volunteers who support our program team at events like the Tuesday Specials, where youth in our program come together for weekly dinners and building connections. 💙 In this season of giving, your time is as valuable as a donation. Whether you're an organization looking for team-building opportunities or an individual eager to make a difference, there’s a place for you here. 🙌    💡 Volunteer with us! Bring your friends, family, or coworkers and discover meaningful ways to get involved.    To sign up and learn more about our volunteer opportunities visit: https://lnkd.in/eCDKhW7F #StepStonesForYouth #volunteer #giveback #charity #nonprofit #community 

The Change Project: Ontario’s Future for Families, Youth, and Children    Our mission is to improve the outcomes for children and families in Ontario. StepStones has always worked towards this goal, and, with our upcoming Change Project, we are dedicated to defining and achieving our vision. We are focused on creating a system across the province where children and families receive the right support at the right time when they need it. To achieve this, we are bringing together a wide network of advisors, community members, and individuals with lived experience, to explore solutions that reflect the needs and challenges facing families today.    To get involved and receive updates & communications on the Change Project, launching in 2025, click the link below to sign up for our mailing list. When children and families thrive, Ontario thrives: https://lnkd.in/eQf5qEuK    #StepStonesforYouth #change #support #collaboration #childwelfare #Ontario #Toronto 

🌟 Celebrating 10 years of the CIHR Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health (IHDCYH) Talks Competition! This annual event highlights innovative, evidence-based approaches to improving the health of children, youth, and families. Our partners at the MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions are participating with a powerful animated video showcasing findings from the Transitioning Youth Out of Homelessness 2.0 research project, which StepStones had the privilege of supporting. This groundbreaking pilot study followed 24 young people ages 18-26 from Toronto, Hamilton, and St. Catharines who had experienced homelessness. Each participant received two years of portable rent subsidies, giving them the freedom to live where they chose. Half of these youth also had access to a mentorship relationship with caring adults. The study measured the impact of these supports on their social and economic inclusion over 2.5 years. 👉 Discover the impact of financial and identity-based supports for youth overcoming homelessness: https://lnkd.in/gUzuwzPC ✨ Vote for, Driving Change: Helping Youth Navigate Transitions Out of Homelessness, and help amplify the work to make a difference! #IHDCYHTalks #research #health #homelessness #support #vote #youth

StepStones for Youth invites you to our upcoming Peer-to-Peer Knowledge Exchange on November 28 at 1:00 PM EDT, where we will explore critical social issues impacting vulnerable populations. This month, we are honoured to welcome James McLean, Director of Research and Policy at the Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking. This month's presentation will focus on: - How insufficient housing and shelter options increase vulnerability to human trafficking - Insights from data collected through the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline - Existing policy gaps that fail survivors and service providers - Practical steps governments can take to strengthen protections and support systems Join us for this thought-provoking session as we uncover actionable strategies to address these pressing challenges. Sign up for the P2PKE email list here: https://lnkd.in/gyba89-r

Season of Giving 🎁 Each year, StepStones for Youth hosts a holiday youth gift drive, bringing the magic of the season to the youth we support. We collect and deliver items from their personal wish lists so they know they are seen, valued, and celebrated during the holidays. But we can’t do it alone! ✨ With the support of our incredible community, we aim to make every single wish come true. Whether it’s a cozy sweater, art supplies, or something special they’ve dreamed of, every gift—big or small—helps bring seasonal joy to young people in our programs.  Want to help make a young person’s wish come true this holiday season? Send us a DM to get involved and bring the spirit of giving to life! 💙 #StepStonesforYouth #giving #givingtuesday #holiday #donation #nonprofit #charity #getinvolved #community 

On Tuesday, October 15, youth at StepStones came together for a cozy traditional harvest dinner at Swiss Chalet. It was an evening filled with laughter, delicious food, and meaningful connections! 🍂     These gatherings offer more than just a shared meal—they’re a chance for youth to build friendships, find support, and feel the warmth of community. Moments like these remind us of the joy and comfort that togetherness brings and how a sense of belonging improves health and well-being. We’re so grateful for the opportunity to share these special times with our incredible youth!  #StepStonesforYouth #Community #harvest #nonprofit #support 

Thank you to the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness for including StepStones for Youth at the 2024 National Conference on Ending Homelessness! We were honoured to present our evidence-based and award-winning approaches to helping prevent youth homelessness for young people from the foster care system. Through strategies like wrap-around supports, mobility mapping, and building essential connections, we shared some of our tools that improve outcomes for young people at high risk of homelessness 💚    Events like this highlight the impact of cross-sector collaboration and inspire transformative solutions for vulnerable communities. We look forward to continuing this work alongside like-minded organizations as we strive to create a better future for young Canadians.    #CAEH24 #StepStonesForYouth #FosterCare #childwelfare #homelessness #conference 

✨ Thank you to everyone who joined us for Foster Care Unraveled! ✨ We are so grateful to all who attended the screening, and we hope it evoked deeper insights into the realities of foster care. It was truly inspiring to see such an engaging and passionate audience. A special thank you to our incredible panelists—Deborah Oppenheimer, Mark Jonathan Harris, and Jessica Chandler—for sharing their expertise and powerful stories that sparked essential conversations around issues faced by youth in foster care. It was wonderful to see new faces and reconnect with familiar ones during the networking reception. We’re excited about the dialogues that began here and look forward to continuing this important work together. #StepStonesforYouth #film #documentary #networking #nonprofit #Toronto 

🌟 Double Your Impact with StepStones for Youth! 🌟 Did you know you can double your donation through our gift-matching program? Many employers match charitable contributions made by their employees, and some even extend the match to gifts from spouses and retirees. 🙌✨ This means your generosity can go twice as far in supporting our work to improve the outcomes of youth in foster care. 🌱💙 Ready to make a difference? Search here to find out if your employer offers a gift matching program: https://lnkd.in/d6s5f5BS #StepStonesForYouth #DoubleYourDonation #MatchingGifts #SupportYouthInCare #MakeADifference