Toronto, Ontario, June 29, 2011 — Covenant House Toronto, Canada’s largest homeless youth shelter, celebrated the opening of its newly renovated kitchen and the launch of a new culinary arts program today.
“For youth facing life on the streets, Covenant House Toronto is a caring refuge that helps young men and women regain their independence and gives them the opportunity to turn their lives around,”
said John Carmichael, Member of Parliament for Don Valley West, on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. “I am so pleased that the Government of Canada could be part of a project that will equip youth with job skills they can use to better their future. I look forward to seeing the lasting benefits that this program will have for youth in Toronto and I commend Covenant House for the meaningful work they do year after year.”
“Getting a job is one of the toughest challenges our kids face,”
said Ruth daCosta, Executive Director, Covenant House Toronto. “This program will give our kids marketable skills so that they can get a real start on their way to independence.”
Covenant House Toronto provides food, clothing, shelter, and a range of other services, including medical care, counselling, schooling, job training, and life skills classes to at-risk and homeless youth.
The kitchen expansion, a component of Covenant House Toronto’s Capital Restoration Project, has enabled the organization to launch Cooking for Life, an innovative new program that will provide youth with the opportunity to take cooking classes led by an expert chef/instructor. Cooking for Life prepares young people for entry-level employment in the food services industry by teaching them professional conduct and giving them hands-on experience preparing meals in the shelter’s main kitchen. This program is available to youth in Covenant House Toronto’s residential program.
The Government of Canada is contributing $627,500 towards several components of Covenant House Toronto’s Capital Restoration Project. Covenant House Toronto is contributing the remainder of the $1.255 million project cost.
Federal funding for this project comes from the Government of Canada’s $4-billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, which is providing funding to over 4,100 infrastructure projects across the country.
For additional information about investments in infrastructure, visit www.creatingjobs.gc.ca.
For further information about Canada’s Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
For more information, contact:
Vanessa Schneider
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
613-991-0700
Rose Cino
Communications Manager
Covenant House Toronto
416-204-7081
Infrastructure Canada
613-948-1148 OR Toll-Free 1-877-250-7154
