On April 11th 2018, I attended the 5th annual Cover Me Urban fundraiser which took place at Maison Mercer to raise critical funds for Youth Without Shelter (YSW). Presented by Tangerine and hosted by TSN’s Cabral “Cabbie” Richards, the event celebrated the diverse flavors and sights of Toronto’s neighbourhoods. With the ticket priced at $125, all the proceeds and funds raised at Cover Me Urban will be donated toward the programs at YWS! This year, the event raised over $140,000 – quite remarkable in my opinion :). For more information regarding the event, you can check their website here.
About Youth Without Shelter (YSW)
Youth Without Shelter (YWS) is the singular emergency residence and referral agency in Etobicoke serving and supporting homeless youth ages 16 – 24 for three decades, and more than 1000 homeless youth every year. They provide victims of abuse of abuse, abandonment or have no family at all a safe & secure place to stay. YWS also offer counselling and life skills, employment guidance, housing, placement in affordable housing and support for continued education. For more information regarding their services, you can check their website here.
Cover Me Urban 2018 Event Highlights
Food & Drink: 15 local food hot spots including the Rec Room, Scaddabush, The Happy Bakers and many more.. repping the delicious flavors from local neighbourhoods such as Little Italy, Yonge & Dundas and Kensington Market. The drinks are provided by Brickworks Ciderhouse, Mill Street Brewery and Oyster Bay Wines.
Interestingly, I think what really separate this fundraiser from a traditional gala evening was how casual and entertaining it was! To be honest, I’m not the cocktail-gala-type-of-gal, I much prefer events like these where everyone is having fun and supporting a great cause.
Music: YWS presented a live choir performance throughout the event. A live DJ was also there to spin all your favorite tunes all night long!
Activities: From carnival games, henna to caricature art, there was definitely something for everyone here! There was also a silent auction with prizes including a one-week getaway to the beautiful Niagara escarpment and a Cineplex VIP movie experience for 20 people.
I also appreciated that there was a speaker – Hannah – who was a YWS resident spoke about her experience during her time at the organization.
Thank you so much to Cover Me Urban for having me and a huge thanks to Youth Without Shelter for all the amazing services to the community.