YXE Connects
- May 16, 2016 | May 11, 2016
Saskatoon will be holding its 2nd annual YXE Connects event on Monday, May 16th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at City Centre Church and White Buffalo Youth Lodge. The event aims to bring service providers, community agencies, businesses and volunteers together to provide free services to the city’s homeless and vulnerable populations in one location for one day.
The first edition in May 2015 drew approximately 600 community members and organizers expect hundreds more this year.
Adina Wilson, Community Development Coordinator at the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre, says, “YXE Connects is a community inspired initiative that enables community members to connect with essential services in a dignified and supportive environment. The most touching moment for me last year was when a young man was able to get his hair cut for free and he hugged volunteers afterwards telling them that he felt like a new person and that the simple act of getting his hair cut made him feel like he mattered in the world.”
Available services will include haircuts, ID clinics, physical and massage therapy, chiropractic treatment, connections to employment and housing, and much more, all provided free of charge. There will also be a free bagged lunch and care packages available to attendees.
“It’s inspiring to see Saskatoon come together so enthusiastically to connect community members with services through this event. There will be over five dozen service providers and nearly 100 volunteers pitching in on May 16th," explains YXE Connects Coordinator Justin Fisher. "It’s an amazing sight to see for a community-driven initiative.”
YXE Connects is organized by partners including the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre, United Way of Saskatoon & Area, The Lighthouse Supported Living, Saskatoon Poverty Reduction Partnership, Saskatoon Housing Initiatives Partnership, Saskatoon Health Region, SWITCH, Connect Church, City Centre Church, and White Buffalo Youth Lodge. It is funded by the Community Initiatives Fund and United Way of Saskatoon & Area.