A $10,000 grant will provide some much-needed furniture and appliances for the Beat the Streets youth program.
The money comes from the First West Foundation’s Envision Financial Community Endowment and will go to Aldergrove Neighbourhood Services (ANS), who run the program.
Beat the Streets, which is at 3089 272 St., provides homeless teens with access to food, counselling and employment services.
The mentorship housing component of the program can accommodate up to four homeless youth in sites across the community.
Centre Point Community Services provides the building rent-free, but furnishings and appliances were needed to create a more comfortable home-like atmosphere.
“Access to affordable housing is a major issue for youth in Langley — they’re usually forced to either couch surf or sleep on the streets,” said ANS neighbourhood executive director Lynne Topham.
“So it was important for ANS to build a space that met their basic needs but didn’t feel institutional.”
“ANS has an obligation to meet the needs of the local community and the drop-in youth centre was a critical component of that,” said First West Foundation executive director Seline Kutan.
“The Foundation is pleased we could help a non-profit in our community provide the necessary service.”
The Foundation has donated more than $1.6 million in grants over the past 14 years.
For more information, visit www.aldergroveens.com.