COVID-19 YOUTH SUPPORT FUND
Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada’s COVID-19 Youth Support Fund has been temporarily put on hold.
Young people who have “aged out” of Canada’s child welfare system, you are on our minds and in our hearts during what we understand is a very difficult time.
Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada has been very moved by the response to our COVID-19 Youth Support Fund, which is providing grants to help cover short-term and emergency needs while you explore government or other supports. We have received hundreds more applications in two days than we typically receive for all of our programs combined in an entire year.
Our team is urgently processing this large volume of applications and is increasing fundraising efforts to raise more money from donors so we can expand the program to meet your needs for financial support. In the short term, we are putting applications on hold.
Youth Support Fund Update, 26/06/20
Since launching the fund in April, all of us at the Foundation have been focused on processing a very large volume of applications and ramping up our fundraising efforts so we could both meet our applicants’ needs and expand the program. Given the understandable, yet unprecedented for us, high demand for support, we had to temporarily close the fund to focus on applications received. As the pandemic continues to intensify the barriers and stress former youth in care across Canada face, we have developed a new approach to this fund that will ensure more youth can be supported more quickly. We will be partnering with youth-serving organizations across Canada who will offer these funds directly to youth in their community.
We will post all the details on how and where to access these funds on our website when they’re ready later this summer.
Young people who have or will be aging out of the temporary or permanent care of a Canadian child welfare agency* AND who are:
- Experiencing financial strain as a result of the COVID-19 crisis
- Aged 18 to 29 (inclusive) at the time of application
- Requests will be considered on a case by case basis if you are otherwise eligible and are 30 or over OR are turning 18 by 31 August 2020
Please find below eligible care statuses for each province:
Young people who are, or would have been eligible for a Support and Financial Assistance Agreement (SFAA) in Alberta
Young people who were in permanent or temporary care of Ministry of Children and Family Development/Delegated Aboriginal Agency or on a youth agreement as of their 19th birthday OR eligible for the Agreement with Young Adults Program
Young people who were in permanent or temporary care of a child welfare agency in Manitoba on their 18th birthday
Young people who were under temporary or permanent care of the Minister and/or participating in the Youth Engagement Services Program until their 19th birthday in New Brunswick
Young people who were had a temporary or permanent custody orders with the Department of Children, Seniors and Social Development up until their 19th birthday OR eligible to participate in the Youth Services Program
Young people who were in temporary or permanent custody or a Support Services Agreement with the Ministry of Health and Social Services up until their 19th birthday OR eligible for Extended Support Services Agreement
Young people who were in temporary or permanent care and custody of the Department of Community Services up until their 19th birthday or eligible for Post-Secondary Support for Youth and Custody Agreements
Young people who were in temporary or permanent custody of the director through the Department of Family Services up until their 19th birthday OR eligible for an Agreement for Youth
Young people who are, or would have been eligible for Continued Care and Support for Youth (CCSY) at any Ontario Children’s Aid Society
Young people who were in temporary or permanent care of the Department of Social Development and Housing up until their 18th birthday OR eligible for Continued Child Protection Services
Young people who were in temporary or permanent care of the Director of Youth Protection up until their 18th birthday
Young people who were in permanent or long term care of the Ministry of Social services up until their 18th birthday OR eligible for an Extension of Services Agreement
Young people who were in in temporary or permanent care and custody or on an Agreement for Support Services with the Ministry of Health and Social Services up until their 19th birthday OR eligible for an Agreement for Transitional Support Services
We are working very hard to process the large volume of applications received to date. We are also continuing to increase our fundraising efforts in order to grow this program together with our donors to meet your needs for financial support. As soon as our team is able, we will reopen the fund to new applicants. We are not able to provide an exact date at this time.
Please submit your email address at the form linked below and we will notify you when the fund reopens.
The COVID-19 pandemic challenges and uncertainty are beyond what anyone should have to navigate alone. Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada is providing grants of up to $1000 to help support you through this, intended to cover short-term needs while you explore government or other supports. Funds can be used to cover expenses such as: housing costs like rent, food, household supplies, mental health counseling, technology support, and other emergency needs.
We understand that this is a difficult time for you, but we are also receiving a large number of requests. Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada will prioritize these requests and will do our best to review all complete applications within 2 weeks.
Once you receive a message confirming you’ve been approved, you will need to provide Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada your banking information for direct deposit (e.g. a void cheque), and confirm your Social Insurance Number. Once we have that information we can deposit your grant.
If you don’t have a bank account and direct deposit will not work for you, we will issue a cheque and mail it to the mailing address you provided.Please note: our office is closed so you will not be able to pick up your cheque in person.
Funds can be used to cover items such as: housing costs like rent, food,household supplies, mental health counseling, technology support for e-learning, and other emergency needs.
This funding is intended to cover short-term needs while you explore government or other supports that may be available, and we are trying to support as many youth as possible. We will consider requests up to and including $1000 in total.
In addition to standard Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada supports (cafdn.org/for-youth), we have compiled a list of resources that may be helpful to you while COVID-19 is ongoing. This list is a work in progress that we are constantly updating.
We will review complete applications, so please ensure that you included your confirmation of care and your correct email address.If your application was complete and you submitted your confirmation of care letter, you should have heard from us; please check your e-mail account (including your junk mail folder).
All eligible applicants with complete applications will be approved for funding on a first come, first served basis until all funds have been distributed. Please ensure you complete each section correctly with as much detail as possible and include your documentation.
You do not need to have a worker currently to apply, so long as you meet the eligibility requirements.
If you do not currently have a worker, we will need a reference from your most recent worker, or another document from your child welfare agency, the government, or a court, statingthat you were in care. It mustbe on agency letterhead and include your name, date of birth, and your care status.
This is a fund for people who have been financially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, if you lost your job or could no longer work, or if you had additional expenses because of physical distancing recommendations.
At the moment we are trying to support as many youth as possible, and can only consider one request per person. We hope that this will give you some time to explore whether you are eligible for additional government supports for Canadians affected by COVID-19. If we have additional unused funding in the future and we are able to consider repeat requests, we will update you.