THUNDER BAY – The Thunder Bay Police Service Board is donating $10,000 to the not-for-profit Simpson-Ogden community organization Evergreen, A United Neighbourhood.
Evergreen's mission is to improve the quality of life for youths who live in the Simpson-Ogden area.
Their drop-in centre provides youth access to hygiene items, art supplies, snacks, groceries to take home,and a daily hot meal.
“I think anything we can do to give children and youth and families a safe place to play, help practice building their own strengths up, and make positive choices for the future,” Police Board Member Denise Baxter.
The funding will go a long way in aiding Evergreen youth gang prevention services by providing youths with access to support and resources.
“As many people know with Simpson-Ogden, the neighbourhood's been really struggling with the drug trade and the gangs and situations. But for the many wonderful families and kids who access our services, this just means we could do more prevention and take good care of children and youth who are very vulnerable,” executive director at Evergreen Linda Bruins told Newswatch.
Bruins said the not-for-profit group struggles to find regular funding and fills a need before the winter.
“I've been working here 18 years and the need just grows every year. The fact that the proceeds do come from guns and gangs, I think it validates that the work we're doing because it's just terrible what children have to see in this community like the rampage in drugs,” Bruins added.
“So just having a safe place for them to come, we feed the kids, we can provide them with clothing hygiene items, help their families stay fed. It's tough days out there for many people and if you're low income, it's a real struggle just to get groceries home and keep your family fed.”
Police Board Chair Karen Machado explained that the funds are not taxpayer dollars but proceeds the police had obtained from crime.
"It's a fund that we have internally through for lack of a better word crimes that we take in," Machado said. "So, we want to improve the lives of others and if we can give it to youths and help and support and improve their lives and help them get in a better direction, that's clearly what we want to do.”
Police Board Member and City Councillor Kasey Etreni said she is proud to see youths participating in the neighbourhood.
“Supporting the neighbourhood, the Ogden Street area, supporting youth, staying off the streets, getting involved with whether it be art or other activities, sporting activities were there once and we helped clean up the neighbourhood with of course, some adult supervision to make sure they weren't picking up sharps and pieces they shouldn't have picked up,” Etreni added.
