The Peterborough chapter of The Order of the Eastern Star has donated $25,000 to YES Shelter for Youth and Families to support youth housing.
According to a media release, the Peterborough chapter’s donation was made possible from the sale of the chapter’s building several years ago.
“We’re very proud to be able to provide this help to the YES Shelter,” said Patti James, Worthy Matron of the Peterborough Chapter. “The heart and soul of the members of the Order of the Eastern Star has gone into raising money to help local charities and it feels meaningful to invest in something that will have a lasting impact on young people in our community.”
The Order of the Eastern Star is a worldwide fraternal not-for-profit organization, open to both men and women, with a commitment to charity, community service, and supporting those in need. It was founded in the late 1800s by Dr. Rob Morris, an American poet and Freemason, along with his wife Charlotte Mendenhall Morris, as a way for female relatives of Masons to share in the benefits of Freemasonry.
The Peterborough chapter’s $25,000 donation will directly support the renovation of one of the locations of the RISE Youth Housing Program operated by YES.
The program houses young people with the supports needed to resolve their homelessness permanently. It helps them find stability, build life skills, and move forward with confidence, while also creating a welcoming space where youth can access support, connection, and care.
Once complete, the renovated RISE location will create six additional housing units for young people who would otherwise be experiencing homelessness, along with a dedicated youth drop-in space open to all youth in Peterborough who are navigating housing instability.
YES executive director Aimeé Le Lagadec called the Peterborough chapter’s donation “incredibly significant.”
“Not only does it help us move closer to completing this much-needed space, but it also reflects a strong belief in the potential of the young people we serve,” Le Lagadec said. “We’re so grateful to the Order of the Eastern Star for choosing to invest in youth in our community in this way.”
