The Canadian Mental Health Association, (CMHA) Kelowna is celebrating receiving a $50,000 grant from The Home Depot Canada Foundation for Foundry Kelowna.
The grant is part of The Orange Door Project Grant Program, which supports repairs, renovations and/or modifications to housing accommodations or other support facilities for homeless youth. The funding was used to construct the teaching kitchen and resource room at the newly built Foundry Kelowna.
Together the kitchen and resource room are core and essential elements of the overall program at Foundry Kelowna. The two spaces are connected and open up as one large room where at youth have access to housing supports, education and are provided skills for life. It is a place to learn basic cooking skills to ensure they do not go hungry and for those that want to learn more advanced skills may lead to potential employment in a commercial kitchen.
CMHA Kelowna is the lead agency operating Foundry Kelowna, which opened its doors mid September. “This generous funding provided by The Home Depot Canada Foundation has directly helped to create a safe and welcoming space designed by and for youth,” says Shelagh Turner, Executive Director of CMHA Kelowna. “It provides access to programming, relationships, and supports that will help them to live their best life possible.”
“Working together with our community partners, The Home Depot Canada is committed to ending youth homelessness and we are so proud to support CMHA Kelowna with their kitchen and resource rooms at Foundry Kelowna,” said Jeff Kinnaird, chair board of directors, The Home Depot Canada Foundation and president, The Home Depot Canada. “By supporting the organizations that provide important life-skills programs, we are helping bring housing and hope to our most vulnerable youth.”
The Orange Door Project Grant Program is part of The Orange Door Project Initiative, which supports renovation and repair projects and programs that provide vulnerable and homeless youth with access to safe, stable housing and support services.
By the end of 2017, The Home Depot Canada Foundation will have distributed almost $4.75 million in grants to 162 charitable organizations across Canada through this program, which began in 2009.
About Foundry Kelowna (foundry.bc.ca/kelowna)
Foundry Kelowna, operated by CMHA Kelowna, is an integrated youth and family initiative that unites partner organizations to address the health care needs of youth ages 12 to 24 and their families; providing early intervention to support young peoples’ wellbeing.