YMCA chosen as Home Depot Orange Door Project Charity Partner in Ancaster and Hamilton

The YMCA of Hamilton | Burlington | Brantford has been chosen by two Home Depot locations as their Orange Door Project Charity Partner this Spring. 

Until July 7, the Home Depot at 350 Centennial Parkway North in Hamilton and the Home Depot at 122 Martindale Crescent in Ancaster are raising funds to support the YMCA’s Youth in Transition Worker (YITW) program to help youth experiencing homelessness build a brighter future. 

YITW is designed for young people between 16-24 who have been involved with Family and Children's Services, like those living in foster care or group homes. The YITW's goal is to help these vulnerable youth transition to a more independent lifestyle. 

Right now, the program helps 250 young people a year, but operators say with more funding they could help even more youth. 

“We're here to help them with learning how to cook, helping them learn how to clean, get some identification, figure out a career path or an education plan,” says Joshua Austin, Director of Philanthropy at the YMCA. 
 
“We're here to support them with achieving the goals that they have for themselves, "he says. 

According to the Home Depot Canada Foundation, 1 in 5 people experiencing homelessness in Canada are young people.  

That’s why, since 2014, The Home Depot Canada Foundation has supported organizations and initiatives to provide services to youth at risk of or facing homelessness. The Orange Door Project Campaign happens twice a year and allows each store to choose a local charity to support. This Spring, the foundation is aiming to raise $1.19M across Canada. 

“We were going through some of the [local youth] programs online and I saw YMCA Youth in Transition,” says Cathreine Thorpe, Customer Experience Manager at the Hamilton store.  “Just those few words spoke to me. I see Youth in Transition as a positive, it speaks to me of opportunity,”  

“Youth homelessness is scary because it’s true. Youth in Transition inspires the possibility that there’s hope,” says Catherine. “Instead of just ending something that’s awful, we’re helping them build a brighter future.” 

Catherine says being able to give back in this way is helping to reignite a sense of community. 

“Things have changed in the retail world since COVID. It used to be that customers would come in and we would work on their projects together like a team, like a community, she says. “I think the isolation of those few years impacted our community where they’re still going through those motions of isolation even though they’re back in community and so they treat us differently.” 

“Having this program twice a year reminds us that we’re part of this community, not just as a store, but individually,” says Catherine. 

“It helps us feel connected to each other for a purpose, as well as our neighbours and the people that come through our door every day. I think it helps keep us grounded in community at a time when we probably need it the most.”