A Toronto organization providing services for 2SLGBTQ+ youth is raising money after a flood caused massive damage to their drop-in centre.
Located downtown, Friends of Ruby is a welcoming space that provides 2SLGBTQ+ youth between 16 and 29 years old with a variety of tailored resources, including mental health services, social services and housing.
“Our vision is a world where all 2SLGBTQIA+ youth and young people feel validated, involved and empowered to lead healthier lives,” Carol Douse, Friends of Ruby’s senior officer of branding and marketing, told Queer & Now.
FRIENDS OF RUBY BASEMENT FLOOD
The organization got off to a rough start for 2025, when on Jan. 10, a burst water main caused significant flooding in its drop-in centre, forcing a temporary closure. The drop-in centre allows unhoused youth to access essentials like clothing, food, harm reduction strategies, and emotional support services, among other resources.
Extensive damage caused by the flood meant that the drop-in centre had to be moved from the basement of the building to the main floor. It reopened on Jan. 13, but at a reduced capacity of 80 per cent, and on an appointment-only basis.
The organization will be operating at this reduced capacity for the next three months while repairs from the flood take place. Douse explained that the facility is also still hosting its programs, but specifically through Eventbrite so staff can accommodate the number of people needing services within the smaller, ground floor space they are currently operating in.
2SLGBTQ+ YOUTH ARE OVERREPRESENTED IN CANADA’S UNHOUSED POPULATION
Douse explained that the organization works with between 100 to 150 youth every month, some of whom are experiencing homelessness.
Data shows that 2SLGBTQ+ youth are overrepresented in Canada’s unhoused population. Of youth aged 13 to 24 experiencing homelessness, between 25 and 40 per cent identify as 2SLGBTQ+, according to a report from Western University. This is staggering when considering that only five to 10 per cent of youth in Canada are queer or trans.
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Many reports state that the number of unhoused 2SLGBTQ+ youth may be even higher, as issues like homophobia, transphobia, and a lack of services can provide obstacles for youth trying to access shelters.
FRIENDS OF RUBY: A LIFE-SAVING PLACE
The non-profit is known for providing a lifeline to many who use its services, and one of its users says it helped them get the necessities they needed while allowing them to focus on other priorities.
“It was like a multi-faceted sort of support, where you know you could get your social needs met in terms of the friendships that you made and the people that you would meet,” the participant, who wishes to remain anonymous, said in a statement to Queer and Now.
“I was getting sort of like some physical needs met when it came to, like food, you know? If I needed any other resources, the socks, the shampoos, that kind of thing. Then, you know, being able to focus on emotional needs being met and through the like DBT (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy), counselling, and all at the same time, just, you know, feeling safe and secure.”
Douse stressed that even a temporary closure or service reduction can pose issues for the youth relying on their services, removing supports that are critical to their development and finding independence.
“It’s very important for youth to have a connection space and the support that they need,” she explained. “For youth, this really means not having the spaces, not having connection, not having the ability to meet with your counsellors as steadily as you did before or in person.”
“Not being able to have our space really limits us from being able to provide those services to the fullest.”
Friends of Ruby is looking for financial donations to continue providing these crucial services, and to furnish the temporary drop-in space. Those interested in supporting the shelter’s flood recovery efforts can either make a direct donation or start their own fundraiser for Friends of Ruby through CanadaHelps.
