Media Alert - Sneak Peek of New Eva's Phoenix Transitional Housing Facility for Homeless Youth

60 Brant Street under construction to support homeless and at-risk youth to exit homelessness 

TORONTO, March 23, 2015 /CNW/ - In Toronto, there are at least 6,000 young people who are homeless during the year and as many as 2,000 on a given night.

Eva's Phoenix provides housing for 50 youth, aged 16 to 24 years, for up to a full year. Eva's Phoenix uses an integrated, holistic approach to provide youth with the skills they need to find and maintain housing and employment.

The success of Eva's Phoenix demonstrates the effectiveness of an integrated model of support in helping homeless youth to reintegrate into the community.

What sets Eva's Phoenix apart is its innovative, partnership-based employment programs that train and find employment for homeless youth in jobs that offer the potential for a long-term career. We recognize that youth cannot be self-sufficient if they have housing without a decent job to pay for it, or have a job with no place to live. Our focus is on providing youth with the support they need to secure both sustainable housing and meaningful employment.

WHAT:	In 2011 City Council transferred ownership of the current Eva's Phoenix location to Build Toronto for redevelopment. In order to ensure that Eva's Phoenix could continue to provide their transformative programs and services, Eva's and many homeless youth worked together with the City and Build Toronto to find the exciting new location at 60 Brant Street Toronto (corner of Brant and Richmond Streets West). The Phoenix Rising capital campaign, with The Home Depot Canada Foundation as our lead building partner, will fund the cost of renovating 60 Brant Street as a purpose built facility for our program delivery, while ensuring that the new Eva's Phoenix facility is integrated into the existing heritage building and surrounding neighbourhood.
WHEN/WHERE: Tuesday, March 24, 2015 - 10AM
	Entrance via 21 Maud Street
INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES: Representatives from Eva's Initiatives, including Executive
	Director Maria Crawford, a youth resident and graduate of Eva's Construction and Property Maintenance Program, Mayor John Tory, Councillor Joe Cressy, representatives from The Home Depot Canada Foundation.

ABOUT EVA'S INITIATIVES
Eva's provides safe shelter, training, counselling, and a wide range of innovative programs and services to help homeless and at-risk youth reach their potential to lead productive, self-sufficient and healthy lives. With cutting-edge services, and distinctive programming, Eva's offers a continuum of service not available anywhere else in Canada. Locally, Eva's operates three unique shelters that accommodate 114 youth - aged 16-24 - each night. Nationally, Eva's works to build innovative and long term solutions to end youth homelessness.

SOURCE Eva's Initiatives

Image with caption: "Eva's Initiatives (CNW Group/Eva's Initiatives)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150323_C8367_PHOTO_EN_13436.jpg

or to set up an interview: Sarah Barker, Director, Marketing and Communications, Eva's Initiatives, [email protected], 416.977.4497 x 124