Bring Christmas to Homeless Teens

50 Teens 4 Christmas

Did you know that an average of 50 homeless teens are sleeping on the streets every night in Kitchener-Waterloo? When we learned about the 50 Teens 4 Christmas project, we decided we had to get involved, stat!

Our participation with the 50 Teens project sprang from the #140Characters conference, which was about how our lives are being changed by social media. Among the amazing people we met was Melissa Yarascavitch, owner of NOURISH, chef and pastry artist (also known on Twitter as @bourbonbaker).

Melissa opened our eyes and our hearts to the plight of homeless teenagers in our own community of Kitchener Waterloo. How can it be that there are an average of 50 teens sleeping on the streets every night in our city? While we recognize that young people all over the world need our help, we really feel that we should do something about the situation in our own back yard.

Melissa and the good people of ROOF walk the streets, talking to the kids, making sure they’re ok. They bring food, blankets, and a dry pair of socks - whatever the kids need. Regardless of how they got there, we think one teen on the street is one too many.

This year, Christmas will come early. Eyelight is helping ROOF, Foodlove and The $5 dollar project raise money to buy winter jackets and other cold weather necessities for these teens.  On December 14, a party is planned for the teens where each will be given a Christmas they will remember.  Along with dinner and music, each teen will be given a knapsack with some essentials and a new warm winter coat.

We hope you will help us make it a great Christmas for homeless teens in Kitchener.

A winter coat that will provide warmth for a homeless teen this winter costs $100.

Please donate, any amount will help!