TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - May 27, 2014) - The annual Eva's Awards for Ending Youth Homelessness, hosted by Toronto-based charity Eva's Initiatives and sponsored by the Sprott Foundation in collaboration with Virgin Unite, will this year be given in honour of the late Cory Monteith. The Canadian actor, known for his role in the TV hit series Glee, was a Virgin Unite ambassador and an outspoken supporter of the fight against youth homelessness. He sadly passed away at age 31 on July 13, 2013.
The actor's advocacy helped raise more than $200,000 for at-risk youth programs in Canada through RE*Generation, a joint initiative of Virgin Unite and Virgin Mobile Canada (https://www.virgin.com/richard-branson/cory-monteith)
Eva's Initiatives works locally and nationally to prevent, reduce, and end youth homelessness. The organization provides emergency and transitional housing, harm reduction services, counselling, employment and training programs, social enterprise, and services to reconnect youth with their families. In addition to this work, Eva's hosts the annual Eva's Awards for Ending Youth Homelessness, as well as the National Learning Community on Youth Homelessness and the Mobilizing Local Capacity to End Youth Homelessness Program.
Award winners receive $25,000 each in recognition of their demonstrated positive impact in preventing, reducing and ending youth homelessness in Canada.
This year's four winners are recognized for their achievements with housing provision, direct work within communities, and support in creating and identifying employment opportunities. The winners are:
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Canadian Mental Health Association-Kelowna and District in Kelowna, British Columbia for its initiative Connected by 25.
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LOFT Community Services in Toronto, Ontario for its Transitional Age Youth Program.
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Spectre de rue in Montreal, Quebec for its initiative Tapaj.
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Home Base Housing in Kingston, Ontario for its Youth Services Program.
"These awards are a wonderful way of recognising the time and dedication of those working both behind the scenes and on the frontline in the fight against youth homelessness," said Jean Oelwang, CEO of Virgin Unite. "We are very happy that this year's awards will be given as a tribute to the wonderful Cory Monteith. Through his dedication and commitment, Cory improved the lives of thousands of homeless youth, both in Canada and the Unites States. He set an example for giving back and we would like to thank Eva's Initiatives, the Sprott Foundation, as well as Cory's family, for agreeing to commemorate his name, spirit and compassion."