When I joined you in June, I shared a simple but important reality: without additional community support, we would not be able to maintain full summer drop-in hours at The Grove Youth Wellness Hub. Thanks to your collective generosity, that reality changed.

Because of your gift, The Grove remained open Monday through Friday, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. throughout the entire summer, providing a safe, welcoming space where young people could connect, belong, and access support when they needed it most.

What often begins as a young person stopping by for a game, an activity, or simply a place to spend time can become so much more. Through trusted relationships with our Youth Ambassadors and staff, young people find support navigating mental health concerns, interpersonal relationships, school challenges, family difficulties, and complex service systems. The connections that start over a board game, a craft, or a shared meal frequently become the bridge to life-changing support.

Across the YMCA Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario network, youth visit hubs approximately 150 times each day, 90% receive clinical services within 72 hours, and 99% say they would recommend the service to a friend. Those numbers reflect the power of accessible, youth-centered support, and your investment helped ensure that young people in Guelph had access to that same model throughout the summer.

Your support made it possible for us to offer a wide range of engaging programming, including book clubs, guided journalling, tie-dye workshops, self-care cafés, nature walks, gaming tournaments, Boys Club discussions focused on healthy relationships, back-to-school preparation activities, and our popular “Cupcakes and Consent” workshop. We also welcomed community partners such as Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis and the Guelph Public Library, further expanding opportunities for youth to learn, connect, and grow.

One of the summer’s most exciting developments was the launch of YLAB, a pilot program created in partnership between our Children’s and Youth Services teams. Designed for youth ages 10 to 13, YLAB helps bridge the transition into teen programming through leadership activities, baking projects, group planning, and skill development.

What made the program especially meaningful was the opportunity for participants to build relationships with youth staff before entering our teen programs. By the end of the summer, many youth who may have felt uncertain about taking that next step had already developed confidence in the space, formed trusting relationships with staff, and become excited about the opportunities available to them at The Grove.

Your gift did more than fund summer hours. It created opportunities for connection, belonging, growth, and support. It ensured that whenever a young person walked through our doors this summer, someone was there to welcome them, listen to them, and help them take the next step forward.

On behalf of the young people we serve and the staff who support them every day, thank you for believing in youth and investing in their well-being. Your collective generosity made a meaningful difference in the lives of young people across our community.