Stories of impact, recovery, and hope

Isn’t it true that our lives are rife with the unexpected and filled with surprises. And as our story is written, within those fulsome pages is a powerful commonality that we all share. What…

Sheila and Grant McCarthy first started giving to YESS in 1999. With their commitment to supporting youth in our community, they wanted to ensure that their legacy of giving could continue on for…

Collin, Janel & the team at Collin Bruce Mortgage Team have had profound impact with their philanthropic commitment over the past 10 years. As passionate advocates and ambassadors for our youth in…

Tell us a bit about yourself! I was born and have lived my entire life in Edmonton. We had a family business on the Southside (99 St. and 82 Avenue) where I worked for several years until we moved…

Tell us about yourself/your organization and how you came to volunteer at YESS. My name is Valerie and I’m currently acting as the Diversity and Inclusion Intern for the University of Alberta’s…

Marsha Manolescu was an amazing mother, grandmother, daughter, and sister. She was a seasoned lawyer, faithful friend, and dedicated supporter of YESS. We are delighted and so blessed by Marsha’s…

One of life’s greatest treasures is the friendships that develop when paths cross. How fortunate is the person who can draw from a trove of rich and valued memories to rightly express the essence…

“One day on my way from the Armoury to our Whyte Avenue location I saw one of our youth waiting at a bus stop. They were showered, in fresh clothes, listening to music while waiting for the bus,…

“Each of my brothers and sisters lived very interesting lives.” As the youngest and the last of 11 Zdunich siblings, Hilda O’Neill cherishes countless beautiful memories of growing up in a large…

*this donor requested to remain anonymous Tell us a bit about yourself! Our family are born Edmontonians, derived from homesteader stock. I was gifted with the ability and means to achieve a…

by Leslie McBain First, I must tell you that my beautiful only child Jordan McBain Miller died at age 25 from an accidental prescription drug overdose. He did not die of the tragic epidemic of…

We are thrilled to announce that Michelle has won the Alberta Blue Cross Volunteer Community Wellbeing Grant Program! The Community Wellbeing grant program celebrates our province’s exceptional…

Sandra Munn lived a life filled with the joy and passion of music, a life shaped by courage, vision, discipline, generosity, expectation, and standards. A warm personality, she was funny, outgoing, and vivacious. Deeply committed to a journey of continuous learning and growth, Sandra was never shy about encouraging a personal excellence; of daring to create that spark of change within one’s own sphere of daily life and influence. Most importantly, to be wholly inspired to recognize how one act of kindness has the power to lift someone up the whole of their life.

As a longtime donor to YESS, it wasn’t difficult when staff asked me if I could write something about what inspires me to donate: why, since 1998 I have supported their programs and services for youth through donations and volunteering; and why, since 2015, I have been a monthly donor; and why, when I recently updated my will, I included a bequest to YESS?

Natalie came to YESS when she was 15. At her young age and with a long list of unsafe and unhealthy living situations she had already experienced, Natalie worked with our Wellness Integration Team to identify what she needed to feel safe and healthy.

Content warning: mental health crisis and suicidal ideation. Finn came to YESS in severe mental health crisis. Unable to regulate their suicidal ideation and outward behaviours, Finn couldn’t stay at home.

When Aniel first walked through the doors of YESS, he was looking for more than just a place to stay—he was looking for a fresh start. His journey, like so many others, was filled with challenges, but it was also filled with resilience, growth, and hope. This is Aniel’s story.

Young people are developmentally working to define their own identity and purpose and connections. Finding purpose and meaning in the world is a large concept that our youth do not always have capacity to delve into in their time with us; however, for those who are connected or building that connection, we want to foster their curiosity, experimentation, and beliefs so that they can feel safe to explore themselves within the larger world.

Jessica Day, Director of Program Innovation, has been working with vulnerable populations since obtaining her BA in Psychology from the University of Alberta in 2004. Jessica spent the early days…

Marcia trained as a psychotherapist with over 20 years’ experience working with youth and their families, five years of which has been spent in Edmonton working with youth who are homeless. She is…

Tessa has been involved in the humanities field for 22 years. Her passion is to help high risk youth reach their goals by helping them navigate around the barriers in their lives and build…

Thank you to the Orange Door Campaign for raising over $74,000 in support of Youth Empowerment and Support Services. We’re incredibly grateful for the Home Depot Canada Foundation and the local…

Thank you to the team at Southview Acura for their commitment and continuous support for our youth. Their dedication to give back has been essential in creating opportunities for our youth to be…

In May 2020 the City of Edmonton was in lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the EXPO Centre was opened to support adults experiencing housing instability in their isolation and pandemic…

To share their experiences in working with youth and as part of the Edmonton Coordinated Youth Response, we talked to Gus Gusul, Management and Strategy Consultant for the Youth Agency…

In the October issue of our newsletter, we bring a focus to youth homelessness. Why? It is not just because we love our jobs—we believe that this is the most strategic focus our city, province,…

This article was originally published in our February 2021 newsletter, themed around “empathy and understanding.” In January, Africa Centre and The Alberta Black Therapists Network launched their…

The original version of this article was published in our November 2020 newsletter. Information has been updated to reflect the current Sector Emergency Response, as of January 2022. When…

This article was originally published in our March 2021 newsletter, themed around “art.” iHuman Youth Society is a non-profit that believes all young people have gifts to share. In partnership…

This article was originally published in our May 2021 newsletter, themed around “safety.” This month we want highlight the work being done at the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton (SACE). May is…

In December 2021, The Home Depot Canada Foundation hosted their annual winter Orange Door Project Campaign in support of youth-focused charities across the country! The Home Depot Canada…

In fall 2021, YESS Programming Coordinator Shantell Martineau was inspired to create a girls’ empowerment group where participants could learn and support each other. “This idea for an empowerment…

No Period Without was founded in 2017 when an Edmonton homeless woman asked Scarlet Bjornson for change. Out of curiosity, as Scarlet gave her some money she asked the woman what she planned to…

by Tessa Mulcair, Manager of Shelters This month we held a youth Pride event with some of our community partners. We won’t lie, we’ve been missing the Pride parade around here. The majority of our…

by Shantell Martineau, Programming Coordinator Can you tell us about the Ceremony you just went on with the youth? YESS was invited to bring Youth to the land for 6 days of Ceremony. It was a…

We want to give a huge thanks to D’Arcy’s Meat Market for supporting youth in their community amidst all their other giving initiatives! The partnership we have built with them continues to…

Captured in the rhythm and warmth of the YESS kitchen is the heart and soul of a wholly talented and imaginative culinary team focused on the delivery of daily healthy meals for young people…

The YESS Youth Education and Employment Program provides youth between the ages of 15–24 with skills and knowledge to help them identify career goals, access job-specific training, and learn job…

The Edmonton Civic Employees Charitable Assistance Fund (ECECAF) donated $34,000 to our recent project of renovating the laundry room and bathroom space in Graham’s Place, one of our supportive…

Being on the Board of Directors for YESS, I have had significant exposure over the past three years to the important work that YESS is doing to support Edmonton’s youth, and every time I hear of…

Madeline LeBlanc (b.1998) is a playful artist whose practice consists of drawing, dress-up, film, and painting. Creating in the spur of the moment is how she likes to work best. Her mission as an…

A Reflection from Jessica Day, Director of Program Innovation at YESS When I first heard we were applying for this grant, it was while we were in the midst of sorting through the hurt and emotions…

February is Black History Month! Here at YESS, we support a community of youth as diverse as the wider community. We have collaborated with the African Canadian Civic Engagement Council (ACCEC) in…

Tell us about yourself and your position at YESS! Hi! My name is Clara and I am a full-time youth worker at the Nexus shelter at YESS. I work to meet youth where they are at and support them in…

Tell us about yourself and your position at Bissell! Hi! I’m Nola Visser, the Manager of Permanent Supportive Housing with Bissell Centre. I have been with Bissell for about a year and a half and…

In December 2022, The Home Depot Canada Foundation hosted their annual Orange Door Project holiday campaign in support of youth-focused charities across the country! The Home Depot Canada…

Tell us about yourself and your position at EPL! My name is Cassidy Munro, and I am the Community Librarian at the Strathcona Branch of the Edmonton Public Library! I’ve been a Community Librarian…

Our friends at Vans are monthly donors to YESS by providing footwear and clothing for youth. Last month, Vans and the Vans Community Fund went above and beyond and donated $16,178.40 to YESS. This…

June message from YESS President and CEO Margo Long, from this month's newsletter themed around Pride and Indigenous History Month

June is Indigenous History Month! Approximately half of the youth who access YESS are Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, Inuit), and we know that access to culturally specific experiences either…

YESS provides a safe space for youth who are a journey of self-discovery through inclusive language, resources, and programming. We strive to provide gender affirming care with support from our…

The Pride Centre of Edmonton offers an accessible, trauma-informed, judgement-free space and support systems for people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions,…

In May, YESS Chef Tiffany Sorensen was awarded the Janet Hughes Award from Edmonton’s Food Bank, which honours an individual’s commitment to direct food relief and solving the underlying causes of…

Interview with Hailey Helset, Agency Depot Engagement Manager at Edmonton’s Food Bank Tell us about yourself and your organization! My name is Hailey Helset and I am the Agency Depot Engagement…

This article was originally published in the 2021 Planned Giving Newsletter. Charitable giving is a deeply rewarding experience that benefits our communities and the causes that are dear to us.…

This article was originally published as part of the 2021 Planned Giving Newsletter. It has been updated for the 2023 edition. A will is one of the most profound and consequential documents that…

Youth Empowerment and Support Services (YESS) has seen a steady increase in suicide, overdose, psychosis, and complex mental health crisis since 2019. The number of young people in mental health…

Based in Edmonton, YESS helps young people ages 15-24 who are in crisis because of family or community breakdown, mental illness, traumatic experiences, and often all of the above. We provide safe…

The Youth Agency Collaboration YESS, in collaboration with 25+ youth serving agencies (and growing) across Edmonton in the Youth Agency Collaboration (YAC), are already working together to create…

It is increasingly clear that Edmonton is in urgent need for additional 24/7 crisis intervention centres in community associated with agency service hubs and trauma-based mental health clinics.…

The City of Edmonton Neighbourhood Empowerment Team has been an important partner in creating a sense of literal and felt safety for our neighbourhood as we have undergone so many changes in YESS…

The EMCN RISE Awards celebrate the accomplishments of newcomers and immigrants in the Edmonton area who demonstrate outstanding commitments to creating a more welcoming and inclusive community for…

Margo Long, President & CEO of YESS, sat down with the Great Talks With podcast to talk about the importance of community. Listen on your favourite podcast app or watch below!

The Youth Agency Collaboration was formed in 2019 by a group of youth serving agencies with one mission: create a strategic, connected continuum of care throughout Edmonton that will ensure young…

Our previous strategies to serve youth have been focused too much on symptom solutions and not enough on addressing the root cause of their difficulties: family and community breakdown and the…

Did you know that up to 75% of the YESS annual operating budget is provided for through donations like yours? This month, we talked to Eddie Gots, Chief Financial Officer at YESS, about the impact…

YESS has been diligently working towards a new mission and vision for young people, aiming to create an environment where all young people have barrier-free access to the help they need when they…

We are entering an era of change at YESS as we come out of winter, out of some of the most intense realities of the pandemic, and after integrating the learnings of our 2018-2023 Strategic Plan…

Our new focus is on addressing the holistic wellbeing of young people and a collaborative process amongst agencies to ensure young people get the help they need, when they need it, and where they…

This award is a testament to Eddie’s dedication, expertise, and outstanding contributions to our organization and many others along the way. His relentless pursuit of excellence, innovative…

NiGiNaN Housing Ventures is an Indigenous-led registered non-profit charity formed to address particular housing needs of people living in Edmonton. They are dedicated to providing supportive…

Happy Pride! Around the world, June is celebrated as Pride Month. This is a time for celebration and reflection for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and their allies, to be loud and proud about how far we…

We recognize that part of our expertise at YESS is developing holistic wellbeing assessments and outcome frameworks. Why are “food supports and skills” a core part of youth assessment? Food…

I’m Bethany Zelent, Manager of the Wellness Integration Team at YESS. I support a multi-disciplinary mental health team to model, teach, and empower inner stabilization through co-regulation…

Tell us about yourself and your position at YESS! Hi! I’m currently the Program Kitchen Coordinator here at YESS. What does that mean? I’m a professionally trained Red Seal Chef that has a passion…

from an anonymous YESS donor There are so many worthy causes accomplishing really wonderful things in the community. By following my own charitable compass, several have caught my attention over…

Written by Simran Arora, Wealth Advisor | Portfolio Manager For many families, true wealth is more than financial success. It is about the ability to make a positive impact on the people,…

After seven years as our intrepid President and CEO, Margo Long will be stepping away from YESS. Her last day will be September 15, and until then we will be relishing our time with her as…

The donor-advised fund, or DAF, is Canada’s fastest growing giving vehicle, and yet it’s very possible you have never heard of it. It’s a giving vehicle that allows a donor to give today, receive the tax benefits today, and to grant to their favorite charity or charities over time. It will change your giving from reactive cheque-writing to very strategic philanthropy. In practical terms, you donate to a foundation that sponsors DAFs, and then provide recommendations on where that foundation ultimately grants the funds. Because you made an irrevocable donation to the foundation and received a tax receipt at that time, you have legally given up control of the assets. That’s why we call it a recommendation, but generally foundations that offer DAFs are cause-agnostic, meaning will send the funds to any properly registered Canadian charity that you choose.

Suzanne and Donald Colter gifted the very best of themselves to their family, intentionally passing on a legacy rich and consistent with their beliefs and values: the importance of being kind and compassionate, helping others without expectation, facing challenges with courage and sacrifice, being truly present, and finding joy in simplicity and optimism. With unwavering love, Sue and Don had a profound impact on their children, grandchildren, and all those whose lives they touched.

When it comes to estate planning, the role of a personal representative is paramount. In Alberta, the term “personal representative” is used instead of “executor,” and this person serves as the cornerstone between the deceased’s wishes, as outlined in their will, and the distribution of their assets and settling of affairs.

When thinking about the connection between school and youth support, it is most often seen through the lens of drop-out rates, behavioural concerns, and “alternative” school paths. When youth are experiencing homelessness or are experiencing trauma within the home, they are less likely to be stable within the classroom and their behaviours are often mistaken for requiring punitive consequences rather than seen through the lens of needing help. Youth who experience uncertainty will have trouble adjusting to routine and structure and have a hard time focusing on what is being asked of them. Youth who are living rough will change schools several times in their adolescence and remain disconnected from a healthy learning trajectory and the path to full education becomes harder to reconnect with.

Holistic support is vital for youth in education because it ensures they are healthy, emotionally balanced, mentally focused, and culturally grounded. We are an intricate combination of our physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and cultural needs, and in our educational journey, we cannot cut off part of ourselves. For true success, we must include all aspects of a person. Addressing these diverse needs helps students stay engaged, reduces dropout rates, and improves academic performance by creating a more inclusive and supportive learning environment that promotes overall wellbeing.

When a young person is facing a crisis, their world can feel like it’s unraveling. Whether it’s the instability of their living situation, the uncertainty of their future, or the immediate pressures of day-to-day survival, these challenges can create a storm of emotions and behaviors that seem insurmountable. As caregivers, educators, and supporters, our role is to provide stability and understanding to the young people in our lives.

Hi! My name is Marc Majeau, and I’m a Development Officer with Youth Empowerment and Support Services. I’ve been with YESS since 2022.

The YESS Executive Leadership team is excited to welcome a new and critical member to the YESS team. Joyce LaBriola is YESS’ first Chief Development Officer. This role has been created to help YESS achieve its bold vision to provide better and lasting outcomes for Edmonton youth in crisis. Her proven track record of providing valuable insights, results and strategic impact, will benefit YESS as an organization and the many youth we help each year.

As humans, we tend to use language to describe hard things in a way that is both easy and digestible. Shelter has been the easiest word to describe the complex support that individuals experiencing houselessness need. It is easy for us to think that the answer to not having shelter is to provide shelter. It is also easy to use shelter as the umbrella term to connect services across a large sector and make it easier to fund, explain, or support.

Parents often run through several “nightmare” scenarios in their heads when they cannot communicate with their child: one of the worst possibilities is that their child is missing. The mental pathways and fears that come up are fuel to an already anxiety-driven situation. As a mother myself, I have lived through the fears and the pain and the confusion and the desperation that parents go through when a child is missing. Nothing short of seeing my child in person, hugging them and telling them I love them will quell those feelings.

The Newcomer Centre envisions a future where community members walk alongside newcomers, helping bridge their transition into Canadian society. To achieve this, the Centre serves as a key catalyst and leading collaborator, shaping the attitudes, behaviours, and practices of organizations and individuals to appreciate and embrace the diversity newcomers bring.

In a heartwarming display of unity and community spirit, Ye Olde Craft Lodge #196 and North Star Chapter #2 have proudly collaborated to make a meaningful difference in the lives of vulnerable youth. Thanks to the generous matching power of the Masonic Foundation of Alberta, the two organizations were able to present a $2,000 donation to Youth Empowerment and Support Services (YESS).

Donating publicly traded securities, or mutual funds, to a registered charity in Canada is a tax-efficient way to give back. If you hold investments such as stocks, mutual funds, or ETFs in a non-registered account or a registered account like a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP), Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF), or Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA), you can arrange to donate these assets either during your lifetime or on your death. This article explores how to structure these donations, the tax benefits, and key considerations when planning your charitable giving.

For National Philanthropy Day 2020 we nominated The REALTORS® Community Foundation, Ledcor Group, Collin and Janel Bruce, No Room in the Inn, and Hillcrest Junior High to recognize their…

For National Philanthropy Day 2020 we nominated The REALTORS® Community Foundation, Ledcor Group, Collin and Janel Bruce, No Room in the Inn, and Hillcrest Junior High to recognize their…

For National Philanthropy Day 2021 we nominated 5 Days for the Homeless, ATCO, and John Brooks Comapny Ltd., to recognize their incredible support of YESS! 5 Days for the Homeless is a university…

For National Philanthropy Day 2021 we nominated 5 Days for the Homeless, ATCO, and John Brooks Comapny Ltd., to recognize their incredible support of YESS! Youth Empowerment & Support Services…

For National Philanthropy Day 2021 we nominated 5 Days for the Homeless, ATCO, and John Brooks Comapny Ltd., to recognize their incredible support of YESS! Youth Empowerment & Support Services…

YESS is honoured to recognize TELUS for their dedication in transforming the lives of youth experiencing homelessness. With their years of philanthropic commitment TELUS has been a pivotal support…

On July 13-15, Simons and YESS collaborated to highlight our longstanding relationship with a wonderful celebration of art at the Simons WEM location. This incredible event was a beautiful showing…

“My wife was a high school English teacher who introduced a creative writing course to her students. She invited various local authors to speak to the class and assigned various topics for them to…

Philanthropy is so vital because it has the power to accelerate progress where it’s needed most and support the causes that can fuel real change in the world. This benefits people, the planet, and…

In a world often marked by challenges and uncertainties, the impact of a single act of kindness can be profound, especially for youth in crisis. Imagine your teenage self, but on your own and…

Global sat down with Margo Long, President & CEO of YESS, and Janet Harroun, Golf Tournament Director for Lexus South Pointe, to talk about the upcoming Lexus Golf Tournament in support of YESS!…

YESS is honoured to recognize The Vans Community Fund and the local Vans store in West Edmonton Mall for their continuous leadership and dedication to support youth experiencing homelessness in…

Royal Purple Edmonton has been supporting Youth Empowerment and Support Services for over a decade. They are a fun-loving, dynamic, dedicated group of volunteers helping our communities.

We are starting to prepare for the holidays, and we know you are too! We have the extreme good fortune of having a community that is excited to provide during this time of year, so we thought it would be helpful to both our generous donors and our staff who handle the donations to share some more information. Let’s call it Winter Donations 101.