WINGHAM, ONT. -- An online youth counselling service, based in Walkerton, Ont. has never been busier.
There were 59 new kids seeking guidance in March, through Wes for Youth Online, another 17 more looking for help since April 1.
“If the trend continues like this, we’re looking at over 600 enrollment’s this year. At these numbers, that’s about what we’ve done over the history of the organization, in one year alone,” says Michael Best, a board member with Wes for Youth Online.
Despite, never being more needed, Wes for Youth is in trouble.
“If we don’t receive some sort of support from the provincial or federal government or see Canadians pulling together behind us to support those at-risk youth, then absolutely we will be in a position where we will potentially be gearing down the service that we provide,” says Best.
Fundraising campaigns, centred around grocery stores, have dried up, as people want to just get in and out as quickly as possible.
Without some help, and fast, Wes for Youth Online Executive Director Jenn Mulcaster says the organization only has six to seven weeks left before they’ll have to close down their service.
They’re not talking about closing down at the Chapman House-Residential Hospice of Grey-Bruce in Owen Sound, but they are short at least $200,000 in funding, after cancelling their annual Hike for Hospice.
Alex Hector is Chapman House’s Executive Director. He says, “It is a hard, hard time to make a donation. We get that. This is not a situation where people need to create a hardship for themselves to support hospice. But, if they can help with $20, $50, $100, that’s the key to success."
You can visit their websites to help either Wes for Youth Online or Chapman House.
