Roof being raised

There is still time to contribute to a national charitable campaign to fight youth homelessness while keeping those funds local.

Since its founding in 1997, the Raising the Roof campaign has raised almost $4-million dollars and allocated the money to more than 145 partner agencies Canada-wide.

Every year the charitable organization holds a toque campaign, where hats are sold within communities across Canada and the funds are passed to local partner agencies.

The local funds raised will be collected for Pauline’s Place, who provide shelter for youth between 16-21 years of age and assists them in transitioning to independent living.

Partnering with Pauline’s Place makes sense, said Melissa Porco, marketing for Paul Davis Systems, who are a national sponsor for the fundraising effort.

“Every day they (Paul Davis Systems) are in people’s houses and see how important they are to them and how tragic it is when catastrophes or emergencies happen in their homes,” said Porco.

Porco said there are an estimated 235,000 homeless in Canada, with 20 percent being between the ages of 16 and 24.

Anne Penney, executive director of Pauline's Place, said it's more than just fundraising, it's about raising awareness.

“Obviously we have two shelters in this city and they are needed. It’s just a struggle to do the best we can each year. It’s not just about raising money, it’s about educating people that homelessness doesn’t mean they aren’t going anywhere,” said Penney.

She said the toques can be a good conversation-starter to get people talking about the issue of homelessness among the city's youth.

Penney, who has been with the organization for about 10 years, has seen many of the youth who have come through their doors go on to great careers, such as police officers and nurses.

“I wish I could bottle the smiles on their faces when they graduate or get accepted to college. I think that would say more than words could ever say,” she said.

In addition to selling the toques at Pileria’s and Paul Davis Systems on Northern Avenue, Porco will be selling the toques for the next two Saturdays at Mill Market.

The hats sell for $10 each and the money collected throughout the campaign will be presented to Pauline’s Place on “Toque Day,” February 3.

“All of the money stays local,” said Porco.

There are 200 toques in total for the local campaign, which Porco hopes will raise $2,000 in total if all of the hats are sold.