Blue Door is partnering with the The Home Depot Canada in Newmarket, Aurora and Bradford once again for the Orange Door Project Campaign running to June 25 to benefit INNclusion, a life-saving program supporting 2SLGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness.
On any given day in York Region, there are approximately 400 people experiencing homelessness – more than 14 per cent are youth, according to York Region’s 2021 Homeless Count Report.
Youth who identify as 2SLGBTQ+ are often pushed into homelessness, leaving home to escape identity-based abuse and discrimination. Because of the abuse and trauma experienced at home combined with widespread discrimination preventing 2SLGBTQ+ youth from equitably accessing opportunities, 2SLGBTQ+ youth are over-represented among people experiencing homelessness, according to a Blue Door news release.
It is estimated that approximately 40 per cent of youth facing homelessness identify as 2SLGBTQ+.
In a region with a population of 1.1 million, some of the most vulnerable young people have no safe place to sleep but on the streets, and no specific ongoing support to address the trauma they’ve experienced.
Put simply, up until recently, 2SLGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness were not just under-served, they are not being served.
Leading the way in addressing the need for safe housing and support for 2SLGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness in York Region, Blue Door launched INNclusion in 2021. The first of its kind in York Region and one of only a handful of similar programs across Canada, INNclusion is a supportive, transitional housing program for 2SLGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness.
“A true inclusive community, provides housing for all not just for some,” says Michael Braithwaite, Blue Door’s CEO. “Blue Door’s INNclusion program is working hard so that all 2SLGBTQ+ youth have a safe, affordable, and supportive place to call home.”
You can donate $2, $5, or $10 in-store or online and 100 per cent of the funds will benefit Blue Door and vulnerable 2SLGBTQ+ youth in York Region.
To learn more about Blue Door, INNclusion, or to make a direct donation to the program, visit the website.
