'Saved my life': Toronto winter respite program offers shelter to homeless youth

When Job Gori moved to Canada from Kenya a year ago, he spent his first night in the country sleeping in a Toronto park. 

"I came here knowing nobody," Gori said.

After sleeping in an encampment at Allan Gardens, the 23-year-old then secured a bed at Covenant House Toronto as part of its youth winter respite program. The agency serves Toronto youth who are unhoused, trafficked or at risk. 

Covenant House Toronto's winter respite program, which officially launched on Friday for its third season, is meant to give people aged 16 to 24 a warm place to stay in winter. It operates around the clock and will run until April.

"They gave me food, that's what I needed most. They gave me shelter," Gori said. "I really appreciate this program. It's a program that saved my life."

Now, Gori says he has a job, housing and is running his own company.

"It played a very big role to my life actually, because from the streets to where I am right now, it's a big journey."

Gori was one of a handful of speakers who marked the start of the program on Friday. This is the second year that it is funded by the city. The program started earlier this month.

Officials at Covenant House say the program is the only youth-specific one that is part of the city's winter service plan. It adds up to 45 beds on top of the agency's 105 regular shelter spaces.

Mark Aston, executive director of Covenant House Toronto, said demand is great for its spaces and services. 

"We continue to see increase in demand for our services with more young people showing up at our doors in need every day," Aston said.

In the past year, the agency says it served about 2,500 young people. On its daily basis, its drop-in serves about 100 young people, providing them with food or clean clothes, among other things.

The agency also saw a 35 per cent rise in demand for mental health services in the past year.

The program is low barrier, he said.