BGC Okanagan Launches $25,000 Match to Prevent Youth Homelessness
Two long-time Kelowna residents, Debbie Hubbard and Dean Reidt, are helping kick off BGC Okanagan’s Prevent Youth Homelessness fundraising campaign. The pair are offering a $25,000 matching gift challenge.
With an overall fundraising goal of $150,000 to support programs that prevent youth homelessness, all donations will be doubled up until $25,000. The fundraiser carries into the new year and is designed to inspire community action. This coming at a time when more young people in the Okanagan are facing housing instability.
Matching Gift to Inspire Community Action
For donors Debbie Hubbard and Dean Reidt, the choice to provide the match comes from what they see in their own neighbourhood.
“There wasn’t one specific moment,” Hubbard shared. “It was a gradual shift in our understanding. Living downtown, we see unhoused neighbours in our alley and on the streets every day. We’ve learned that once a young person begins living outside, it becomes incredibly difficult for them to leave that life. We want to do what we can to help youth stay housed, which is why we’re so supportive of BGC Okanagan programs like Upstream Kelowna and Shelter Diversion.”
Upstream Kelowna: Preventing Youth Homelessness Before It Starts
Upstream Kelowna, which identifies and supports students at risk, currently operates in three schools in Kelowna – with goals of expanding to all schools in the Central Okanagan to turn off the tap to youth homelessness. Since 2021, 304 students have received wraparound supports. Since 2021, 304 students have received the wraparound support they needed. Despite facing higher-than-average risk factors, every Upstream Kelowna participant stayed safely housed.
While prevention is key, there is a need for a safety net for when the unexpected happens, making Shelter Diversion and the Emergency Youth Shelter essential for youth who are at risk of becoming, or who become, unhoused.
“Youth homelessness carries both a devastating emotional toll and a high financial cost,” says Sarah MacKinnon, Vice President of Family and Community at BGC Okanagan.
Every $1 invested in Upstream Kelowna has a return on investment of $4.87 in avoided cost. MacKinnon says early intervention is one of the most cost-effective ways to create lasting change.
“Prevention programs like Upstream Kelowna are an incredible investment. For a relatively small cost, we can provide a young person with the guidance, supports, and stability they need before a crisis ever begins.”
Shelter Diversion and the Emergency Youth Shelter Provide Immediate Support
Shelter Diversion complements this work by helping youth who are about to lose their housing or have just lost it. The program helps them find immediate alternatives to a youth shelter stay and ensures they have a safe place to land.
When all else fails, the Emergency Youth Shelter is there – the same way the emergency room is there to support people with unanticipated health needs. Nobody wants to rely on it, but it must be there to respond to urgent needs.
“Together, these programs provide a continuum of support that prevents crisis from taking hold. That means safer, healthier futures and long-term benefits for our whole community,” adds MacKinnon.
Donate Today and Double Your Impact
The community is encouraged to give today while donations are being matched dollar for dollar. To donate online or learn more about the campaign, visit bgco.ca/prevent-youth-homelessness. BGC Okanagan (formerly Boys and Girls Club of the Okanagan) is a charitable organization that provides programs and services for children, youth and families across the region.
Media Contact:
Kristi Patton
Marketing & Communications Co-ordinator
BGC Okanagan
C: 250-258-0564
[email protected] | bgco.ca