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The Wagner Green YMCA

YMCA Youth Shelter & Drop-In Centre

3,000 youth experience homelessness in Toronto every night.

The Wagner Green YMCA is an emergency shelter and drop-in centre where unhoused youth find a hot meal and safe place to sleep — as well as wrap-around supports that help them return to school, find work, and, ultimately, live independently in safe housing of their own.

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The Need Has Never Been More Urgent

20%

Youth ages 13–24 make up 20% of the homeless population in Canada

3,000

3,000 youth experience homelessness in Toronto every night

6X

Street-involved youth are 6X more likely to be violently victimized than the general population

65%

65% of unhoused youth come from families struggling with substance use and have experienced some form of trauma and abuse

Safety, Shelter, and Wrap-Around Supports

At our shelter and drop-in centre, youth experiencing homelessness are met with compassion and immediate crisis support: they receive food, medical care, hygiene products, and a safe place to sleep.

With support from their case managers, youth also access comprehensive programming including:

  • Mental health and substance use counselling.
  • Support working through legal issues and securing official identification.
  • Preparation for going back to school or finding work.
  • Help looking for and moving into safe housing of their own.

Impact By The Numbers

In 2022–23...
 

  • 147 youth stayed in our emergency shelter

  • 4,697 visits were made to our drop-in centre

  • 200 youth received substance use supports

Who We Help

“I was just 18 years old when I moved to Canada. I didn’t know anyone, didn’t have anywhere to live, and didn’t have any money. 

"My life turned around when I heard about the YMCA. There are no words to describe the relief of knowing you’ll have a roof over your head and food in your stomach when those things have felt so precarious. After weeks of uncertainty, all the help I needed to start over was available to me under one roof.

“Today, I’m proud to call myself the owner of a successful moving company at just 21 years old. Because of the YMCA and its generous donors, I was able to dream bigger and better than my temporary circumstances. I’m living proof that the Y’s wraparound services work!”

—Paul

“I was 16 when I left my uncle’s house. His substance use and violence had escalated so much over the years. One night it got so bad, I knew I had to leave — even though I had nowhere else to go. 

“When I finally found The Wagner Green YMCA and got to take a hot shower, eat a full nourishing meal, and sleep in a real bed — the relief was honestly indescribable. Having this safe place to stay truly lifted such a weight from my shoulders. But having a case worker, who helped me figure out everything that seemed so unimaginable when I was homeless…It made me feel more trusting, like I finally had someone in my corner. 

“For teenagers like me, The Wagner Green Y can change your life. These support systems are a god send.” 

—Tyler

“I think getting that help from the Y really changed my life. I wasn’t devoting all my time and attention to worrying anymore, or thinking about where I was going to sleep that night… I could actually concentrate at work and I could work on my goals, like getting promoted and getting a raise.

“And the Y helped me with that stuff too. With my case manager, we worked together on my resume and how to negotiate my salary. I started counselling so I could process my relationship with my family. And in the financial literacy program, I learned to budget, pay bills, and take responsibility for my own finances. 

"All of it has been absolutely life-changing.”

—Brandon

How You Can Help

You can give youth experiencing homelessness a safe place to sleep tonight.

Your donation can provide: 

  • Hot meals,
  • Safe shelter, and
  • Life-changing supports for youth experiencing homelessness.
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