Rural youth homelessness services in Leeds and Grenville to be impacted by ‘devastating’ funding cuts

Earlier this month, the John Howard Society of Kingston & District (JHSKD) was notified that it will not be receiving Reaching Home Rural and Remote funding this year.

This decision will significantly impact critical services for homeless youth in rural Leeds and Grenville, according to the organization; specifically, these cuts could be detrimental to the over 100 local youths who receive support every year.

The Reaching Home Rural and Remote funding has been imperative in funding the Youth Housing Program in the Leeds & Grenville Connect Youth division of services, including the supportive housing apartments in Prescott and Brockville.

According to the organization, “Without these resources, JHSKD will be unable to provide the same level of service across our expansive service area.”

Brockvilleist spoke with Robyn Holmes, Assistant Executive Director for JHSKD, who oversees the Leeds and Grenville operations inclusive of local justice, housing, and youth programming.

“We work collaboratively with a multitude of community partner agencies in areas such as employment, education, justice, child welfare, victim services, and more,” she said. “Having been born and raised in Brockville, the opportunity to serve our community is not one I take for granted.”

According to Holmes, the team within the Brockville office were devastated when they were notified that the JHSKD would not be receiving the Reaching Home funding this year.  “Working in a nonprofit agency means we are often at the mercy of our funders; however cuts are rarely planned and are never well received. Our staff work tirelessly to assist our community’s most vulnerable individuals and being faced with a possibility of reduced programming and/or staffing is devastating to us all.”

While navigating this new development, Holmes’ primary focus is on maintaining their staffing and continuing the level of service the community has come to expect from the JHSKD agency. “Should we not be able to acquire additional funding, there is a possibility of jobs lost and a significant reduction in services offered to youth experiencing or at risk of homelessness.”

The JHSKD will continue to work to diversify their revenue streams, and in light of this reduction, will be pursuing alternate funding options to continue their current programming into 2025.

“We are committed to finding a way forward, but without immediate funding, our ability to provide critical support to homeless youth will be severely limited,” stated JHSKD Executive Director Julie Langan. “We urge all levels of government and community partners to recognize the urgency of this situation and work together to prevent further disruption of these essential services.”

For those who would like to help keep these essential programs afloat, individuals can give directly to the organization via direct donation at one of their offices or online at Canada https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/john-howard-society-of-kingston/