RESTORATION AND EMPOWERMENT FOR SOCIAL TRANSITION CENTRE
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Mission Statement
We help raise BIPOC Youth out of housing insecurity in Peel. Our mission calls for societal understanding that youth homelessness has many root causes and complexities. Lack of affordable housing for example contributes to hidden homelessness, for youth who turn to couch surfing and don’t show up in the numbers. With increased understanding, we can mobilize community resources to help them transcend instability and achieve independence.
About This Cause
Who we are REST Centers is a black-led, BIPOC-serving charitable organization providing transitional housing and support services to at-risk and homeless youth, including those leaving the foster care system. Our core focus is on shelter diversion and eviction prevention through interventions that promote independent and stable living for the youth we serve. VISION We empower youth to live healthier and happier lives, with support and opportunities to contribute to a better society. What we do REST offers diverse programming aimed at providing a positive transition for youth leaving the shelter and care systems, with the goal of preventing homelessness and providing youth with the support they need to reach their potential. These programs fall under 4 pillars including: Pillar 1: Shelter - The Bridge of Hope (BoH) connects youth with supportive host families and includes income and housing assistance, case management, and training for tenants and landlords. Family Intervention and Reunification Management (FIRM) restores family bonds through individual and family counseling, reunification efforts, and school interventions. Pillar 2: Living - The Bare Necessities Program provides financial support for food, rent, and emergency needs to alleviate barriers to stable living. Pillar 3: Healing - Healing Emotional Recovery and Opportunity (HERO) offers mental health support through individual and group counseling, talk therapy, and referrals. Recreation Inspiring Social Engagements (RISE) promotes physical health and social skills through sports and mentorship. Pillar 4: Growing - Learning Initiative Fostering Employment (LIFE) focuses on career development with career coaching, job placement, skill-building workshops, and networking. Fostering Abilities Sustaining Transformation (F.A.S.T.) emphasizes personal and domestic skills, including financial literacy, home economics, and employment preparation. Social Cultural Opportunities and Restorative Engagements (SCORE) enhances cultural awareness and prosocial behavior through creative and reflective activities. Our Impact and Ongoing Achievements REST Centres has made a significant impact in the Peel region by contributing to addressing the 48.3% rise in youth homelessness since 2018 (Region of Peel, 2021). BIPOC youth, who made up 45% of the homeless population in 2021, saw a 23.5% increase in homelessness among Black individuals alone (Region of Peel, 2021). Economic factors such as a median annual income of only $36,000 and 10% of youth living in low-income households in 2023 (Peel Region, 2023) have further worsened this crisis. In response, REST’s Bridge of Hope (BoH) program experienced a 129% increase in active clients in 2023, rising from 59 in 2022 to 136 clients in 2023. The gaps in housing support for BIPOC youth is reflected in referrals to REST Centres which surged by 264% from 2021 to 2023. Between 2022 to 2023 REST facilitated the successful graduation of 16 youth from our housing support to independent living. For our current fiscal year 2024, between July and August, REST has onboarded 18 new clients, secured stable housing for 10 more additional youth, and prevented evictions for 3 individuals. Within this period REST has offered $52,000 in rent subsidies to 49 youth and supported 53 individuals with food subsidies. This support has alleviated immediate economic pressures and significantly reduced the risk of eviction, reinforcing REST’s role in eliminating housing insecurity for our youth. Please visit our website for a copy of our most recent annual impact report: https://www.restcentres.org/ourmission