Join Us in Celebration and Gratitude!

Orange Shirts

Join Us in Celebration and Gratitude!

With open hearts, we raise our hands in gratitude for the incredible support we’ve received since August for our 2024 Orange Shirt Day program. Your generosity, whether it’s through purchasing an orange t-shirt or the countless hours and funds donated by local organizations, is truly making a difference in the lives of Indigenous youth.

Together, we are one powerful circle, creating a brighter future and leaving a lasting impact in our community. Thank you for being an essential part of this journey—let’s continue to uplift each other and celebrate our shared commitment to change!


A Meaningful Milestone: Uplifting Indigenous Youth Through Partnership

Since 2021, MAKE has been walking alongside UNYA in a partnership that has blossomed into a beautiful journey. This year, we celebrate a heartfelt milestone: together, we’ve raised $100K over the past four years.

This collaboration has been more than just a fundraising effort; it has illuminated the importance of Orange Shirt Day and the journey toward Truth and Reconciliation. With every step, we are nurturing awareness and support for vital programming at UNYA, helping to uplift our community. The funds raised for Orange Shirt Day go directly back into programming, enhancing and expanding current initiatives in meaningful ways—providing bus tickets, healthy snacks, and access to traditional medicines.

We are also deeply grateful for our four-year collaboration with the talented Haíɫzaqv artist KC Hall. His work, infused with thoughtfulness and cultural significance, has played a pivotal role in this fundraising initiative. KC’s designs speak to the heart of our community, resonating with our history and experiences. As a proud Haíɫzaqv artist, he inspires our youth to embrace their ancestral heritage and follow their creative paths.

Together, we are fostering a stronger, more connected future.

UNYA lifts our hands to MAKE in honor and appreciation of all the wonderful work they have done to achieve this $100,000 milestone for this year’s Orange Shirt fundraiser. MAKE has been partnering with UNYA since 2021, and every dollar they have raised ensures we can continue to provide culturally relevant programming to Indigenous youth.

CHERYL ROBINSON, CEO
URBAN NATIVE YOUTH ASSOCIATION
Cheryl Robinson CEO – center with her directors Left: Sarah Heneghan and Reanne Percival Right: Kristina Terrell and Brittney Sharma

This year, we are excited to welcome Stikeman Elliott, a prominent leader in Canadian business law, as a valued new community partner for UNYA. At the heart of Stikeman Elliott is a commitment to giving back to the community, and their dedicated lawyers and staff embody this spirit by actively engaging in meaningful initiatives that uplift the neighborhoods they serve.

In September, we were honored to be selected as one of the beneficiaries of their community support program. To demonstrate their solidarity and foster employee engagement, Stikeman Elliott made a generous bulk purchase of UNYA’s ‘Every Child Matters’ Orange Shirt T-shirts. But they didn’t stop there! They also organized the creation of Warming Kits filled with essential items to support 2Spirit Youth, ensuring that those in need stay warm and cared for.

Together, we’re making a powerful impact and showing that community support goes beyond just words—it’s about action, compassion, and creating lasting change!