A Year of Stability, Safety & Hope: What Your Support Made Possible for BIPOC Youth in 2025

By: Lara Adetukasi, Director of Programs, REST Centres

Friend,

Preview: A look at what we’ve built together this year.

As we look toward a new year, I’ve been reflecting on what it means to care for an organization that was built by community and for community. REST has never belonged to one person or one program. It has been shaped by youth, parents, case managers, landlords, volunteers, and partners who continue to show up for young people in the moments when stability matters most.

This year, because of supporters like you, REST has stayed true to its mission: preventing youth homelessness before it begins, supporting families in crisis, and ensuring that BIPOC youth in Peel have somewhere safe to turn when every other door has closed.

Here is some of what we accomplished together in 2025:

✅ 83 youth received rental subsidies in 2024

✅ 135 youth received emergency grocery cards to help meet their food and nutrition needs

✅ 26 youth were provided with household starter packs which includ essential items to create stability as they transitioned into safe housing

✅ 32 youth were connected with income support

Every statistic represents a young person who did not fall through the cracks. These numbers show  a youth who stayed housed, returned to school, reunited with family, or finally felt seen and supported instead of judged or dismissed.

As we enter the coming year, your gift of $25, $50, or $100 helps ensure that more youth have access to housing subsidies, case management, culturally affirming support, and someone who will fight for them when they have no one else in their corner.