Volunteers were amazed by the response to a donation drive to gather up items to go to youths experiencing homelessness in Nanaimo.
Youth 20/20 Can members held a two-day drive May 7-8 outside Save-On-Foods at Country Club Centre, asking for toiletries, non-perishable food items, water and stationary items.
Gwen Vonarx, youth engagement worker with Youth 20/20 Can, said the idea came out of a conversation about homelessness in Nanaimo. The youths consulted with Literacy Central Vancouver Island’s mobile youth outreach team for ideas about what items to try to collect.
“It was amazing, the generosity of people that came forward and donate things to help the youths,” Vonarx said.
She added that Youth 20/20 Can will now work with Literacy CVI to ensure the items go where they are needed.
Youth 20/20 Can, a program under the Volunteer Nanaimo umbrella, is for teens and adults ages 15-29, and just had its funding renewed for another year, Vonarx said.
“It engages youths to volunteer in the community, to get connected and they come up with their own projects, things that they’re passionate about,” she said.
For information, visit www.volunteernanaimo.ca/nanaimo-youth-20-20-can-project-2 or search for the group on Facebook and Instagram.
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