July 2026: Celebrating The Impact of Our Initiatives
What does permanence mean? For youth who have experienced precarious housing situations their whole lives—and may have never had a space of their own—permanence is often a fleeting dream.
For youth in our housing programs, we offer the skills development needed to manage a home and budget effectively. We also leverage our community connections to help them find a permanent place as they prepare to exit our programs.
This week, our Supportive Housing for Young Parents (SHYP) staff were blessed to witness one of our moms receive her acceptance letter for permanent housing for herself and her child. With tears in her eyes, she shared that she has never had her own place, describing herself as excited, nervous, and determined to succeed.
Having battled addictions and overcome immense obstacles, she has been learning how to be the best mom she can be while in our care. She is deeply grateful that SHYP exists to give second and third chances to those ready to make a change, and she hopes her story encourages other moms to keep fighting and have the courage to try again!
Empowering youth starts with positive experiences. By getting outdoors together, our residents teach their children the joy and value of staying active.
CP2 - EXPANDING OUR REACH
This May, we were thrilled to secure an additional house to serve more young men in our community!
Because our program spans up to two years—offering youth the time they need to complete their education, build life skills, and gain work experience—our existing home was operating at full capacity.
Thanks to this new four-bedroom home, we’ve hired a full-time program manager, furnished the rooms, and welcomed our first residents. We look forward to sharing their journeys of growth and transformation in the coming months!
SUMMERTIME FUN
Summer can be a challenging season for many young people. When families face tight budgets, opportunities for fun day trips or memorable getaways are often out of reach. Without regular school routines or special events to look forward to, youth—especially those navigating mental health challenges—can feel isolated.
That’s exactly why summer trips have become a cherished tradition at Why Not Youth Centre! We believe every teen deserves a summer filled with joy, connection, and core memories. This year, our youth had a blast soaking up the sun on beach days, diving into action during paintball, and teaming up for high-energy laser tag.
Beyond the fun and games, these outings give our incredible staff team a unique chance to connect with our youth outside the center, sharing plenty of laughs and building trust along the way. (Though we have to admit—one of our staff members took the laser tag competition very seriously and proudly walked away with ultimate bragging rights for beating all the youth!)
Moments like these remind us how powerful a simple, fun experience can be in bringing light, laughter, and community to a young person's life.
JOIN THE RACE & PUT THE FUN IN FUNDRAISER!
Get ready to lace up your sneakers and make a real difference! We’re calling on our community partners, local businesses, and supporters to join Why Not’s Amazing Race.
Because we operate as a privately funded organization, every dollar raised directly powers individualized care, mentorship, and life-changing programs for youth in Brantford. Step up to the challenge, build team spirit, and help us pave a brighter path for local youth!
👟 Ready to make an impact? Register your team or sponsor the race today!
Get To Know Our Team: This Issue’s Featured Staff
Simon Prince
Hello, my name is Simon. I am a child and youth worker and having been working with kids as young as 1 all the way to 21. I am a big fan of board games, yard sale-ing, painting and spending time with my wife. I am the Program & Case Manager at Charlies Place and I love it as it gives me a chance to provide care for young men who need the extra support to get started in life and helps build up our Community.
Christine Cronmiller
Hi! I’m Christine and I am a Child and Youth Worker at SHYP. I enjoy working here as I have the opportunity to empower families through parenting education, life skills, and compassionate support during challenging times. Watching parents grow in their confidence and seeing children thrive makes my work meaningful and rewarding.
I am a devoted wife and mother. When I am not working, you may find me on a hiking trail, coffee in hand, soaking in nature’s quiet moments, or scouting out a new café to try.
Brooke Wanner
Hello all, I am the Program Coordinator for our WhyNot+ program and a Youth Mentor for the centre. I knew since a very young age my dream job would be helping people just like me, and that dream led me to WhyNot. Empowering youth means empowering the future and I love that I get to be apart of that positive change in the world. Always remember: you are worthy, you matter, and it does get better.
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