VOLUNTEER REPORT
How a Passion for Animals and Mental Health Turned Into a National Non-profit
F
BY ALLIE MURRAY
COURTESY THE CANADIAN COURAGE PROJECT
or Toronto sisters Shania and Anya Bhopa, sitting back and doing nothing to help youth facing structural vulnerabilities and their pets just wasn’t an option. In 2019, Anya was volunteering at a local animal shelter in Stouffville, just outside of Toronto. During her time volunteering, she would see homeless youth — often her own age — have to surrender because they were no longer able to care for them. Knowing how important her pets were for her own mental health, Anya and her older sister, Shania, founded The Canadian Courage Project, a non-profit dedicated to Sisters Anya Bhopa and Shania Bhopa, along with Andrew Reem, do the first ever drop off for the Canadian Courage Project. supporting youth experiencing homelessness and their animal companions across Canada. Since the organization began amid the COVID-19 pandemic, “This has been such an incredible journey and to do it it has grown beyond the sisters’ wildest dreams — now working alongside my sister was so meaningful,” Anya said. alongside them are more than 50 volunteers, and community The sisters noticed a wide gap in the healthcare system partners like Jack.org, and over 15 youth shelters within for youth experiencing mental health concerns or unstable Toronto and the GTA. Thus far, the team has supported over housing, and knew they could do more. 1,000 youth in shelters and 74,000 young people in Ontario “No child’s health should be left up to chance,” Shania and have attended the CCP “Changemaker” educational workshop. Anya said, which has become somewhat of a mantra for the The organization grounds its mission on two main goals: to organization. “As we know, there is no health without mental help support youth who are experiencing homelessness with health. Our community's prosperity is dependent on how we wellness departure care kits, which are individualized hygiene treat our youth.” kits tailored to each youth’s specific need, and to provide
foundationmag.ca
September/October 2021
FOUNDATION Magazine
15
