Charity that helps grads in need looking for a new home
A charity that helps high school students in need by providing free formal wear to celebrate graduation is now looking for a new space.
The You Wear It Well Just for Grads Society helps outfit teens from Surrey, Delta, and New Westminster. Now, the Vancouver building where the society stores hundreds of dresses, suits and accessories is being sold, and the charity is going to have to leave the space that’s been donated to them for free for the past few years.
Executive committee member Darcy Sudeyko said the society is now searching for a another secure, dry location where it can safely store donations.
“We probably could get by with 1,000 square feet,” she said, and added any companies or building owners who are interested could also be eligible for a tax deduction.
“We only need access a couple of times a year,” Sudeyko added. “We’ll take a garage, or basement, or barn, anything that can handle our stuff.”
Prior to the pandemic, the society would see up to 200 grads. Last year, it helped about 60 teens.
“Even though some schools weren’t having a ... formal grad event, students still wanted to celebrate the milestone with their families,” she said. “They told us it was important for them to have the gown and the dress to have pictures taken in the backyard.”
Sudeyko said students are referred based on financial need through school counsellors. The group is hoping to hold this year’s boutique day for teens at its current location before it has to leave sometime in March.
“A lot of families of the kids that we deal with have told us that their child is the first in their family to ever graduate from high school. We have been told directly from school counsellors that, but for our program, the students that they refer to us probably wouldn’t stay in high school,” she said. “It’s not just having fancy clothes to wear, it’s the fact that kids are now motivated to stay in school and graduate.”
Anyone who is interested in helping with a new space can contact the group via email at info@youwearitwell.org.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
BREAKING McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.