Anonymous donor pays for apartment for homeless youth

Homeless youth in Leeds & Grenville will have access to more emergency housing thanks to an anonymous donor. Connect Youth, based out of South Grenville District High School in Prescott, announced yesterday that someone came forward and offered to cover the cost of an apartment for one year. 

Program Manager Victoria Robertson explained Connect Youth currently runs two 21-day transitional apartments – one in Prescott and one in Kemptville – and both are constantly full. She noted the organization had to look at what to do moving forward because its difficult to find stable, secure housing in three weeks. 

Roberston says the third apartment, located in Spencerville, will function as a 90-day full transitional housing unit for youth between the ages of 16 and 25. 

She noted Connect Youth had 155 referrals for homeless youth last year and was able to house 18 of them and offer 55 more outreach services. 

The organization is also getting more space at South Grenville to grow its programming. Robertson says there were just under 400 students last year and Connect Youth served 122 of them.