The Windsor Youth Centre is making an urgent call for donations as it anticipates a $200,000 funding shortfall this year.
The centre, a program of the Downtown Mission, serves meals and offers services to youth ages 16-25 who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
"It is pretty dire. We depend on grants and donations every year to keep the Windsor Youth Centre going," said Rukshini Ponniah-Goulin, Executive Director of the Downtown Mission. "Donations have gone down a little bit, specific to the Windsor Youth Centre, but also overall for the mission."
In the first half of 2025, 1,015 young people visited the Windsor Youth Centre nearly 16,000 times.
The Windsor Youth Centre's annual operating budget is $450,000.
"It is crucial for our youth to have their own space. Research has shown that youth actually suffer more when they're mixed with the adult population, their needs are different," said Ashley Marchand, Director of Youth Services.
The Downtown Mission is looking for individuals, businesses, and community groups to help raise $200,000 by the end of the year to keep operations running.
"I'm confident that Windsor-Essex will come in and join us and help us keep these young people safe and keep them going forward with hope," said Ponniah-Goulin.
