Mr. Speaker, today I rise to acknowledge outstanding Youth Ambassador Sara Morris, who proudly represents Raising the Roof. Raising the Roof is a non-profit whose vision is that all Canadians have access to a safe stable home and the supports they need to achieve their potential; a goal that is clearly lines up with the priorities of this Assembly.
In this job, where I hear of extreme need and so many desperate stories, Sara gives me hope. She shows me that youth care and want to make their communities better. Sara's passion is to improve the situation for people experiencing homelessness, and in particular youth.
As previously mentioned in this House, in 2018 there were 142 homeless youth under the age of 24 in Yellowknife, mostly Indigenous.
Sara's Support Team NWT campaign has raised $4500 from the sale of masks and toques to support Home Base Yellowknife. These funds are being used to pay down their operating deficit at their youth centre as there is no funding for that program.
With nearly 300 items sold, Sara now has St. Pat's involved in a fundraiser for Home Base until March 11th. For every toque sold, $5 will be going to provide emergency shelter for youth and programs for kids who find themselves with no place to stay at night.
Sara has learned that there are many stereotypes about the homeless, both about them as people and about how they got there. Sara has pushed herself to become more engaged about what is happening in her community and how she can make a difference.
Sara is a full-time high school student and advocates for youth in her spare time. She has found the opportunities in the North and through Raising the Roof mind-blowing. Sara knows that there is so much to be done but hopes that her dedication can speed things up. Sara realizes she has a chance to make a change and she is not passing it up.
Sara has always wanted to help and her mother has been an excellent role model, working at the YWCA for years. As a result, Sara spent a lot of time at Rockhill and when it burnt, she was very sad at the loss of the productive safe community space it was. As she gets older, she often thinks of the people from Rockhill and worries about where they're living and if they're safe.
I am so grateful for youth like Sara. Their big hearts and drive for change is what we need to make our territory prosperous and provide opportunity for everyone.
Find out more about Raising the Roof at www.raisingtheroof.org. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.