GUELPH – From now until Dec. 31, Co-operators is matching donations made to The Grove Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario Wellington Guelph, with the aim of providing integrated mental health, wellbeing and life-skills services to youth across Guelph and Wellington County.
This holiday season, The Grove is calling on the local community to contribute through monetary donations and wish list items, ensuring youth have access to safe, welcoming spaces and essential resources.
“The support and donations made by generous individuals and businesses across our community allow us to help youth navigate life’s challenges every step of the way,” said The Grove Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario Wellington Guelph executive director Jeff Hoffman.
Every day, more than 150 young people walk through the doors of The Grove, finding a safe space to connect, learn and grow – whether they’re meeting with a mental health clinician, getting help with school, sharing a meal or simply discovering a sense of belonging, officials say.
Success stories include:
– one youth arrived feeling overwhelmed after signing up for a lifeguarding course – their first step toward employment. With guidance and encouragement from Grove ambassadors, they practiced and prepared. Weeks later, they returned confident, certified and employed;
– another youth, once too anxious to leave home, found comfort in structured games with the team at The Grove. What began in silence has grown into shared laughter, trust and connection; and
– after years of uncertainty, a youth finally asked for help – because someone simply said, “How’s your day going?” That’s the power of creating a space where young people feel heard and supported, officials say.
In 2025, The Grove saw over 36,000 youth visits, up from 32,000 last year.
A total of 69 per cent of youth receiving clinical support are 18 or older, and requests for eating disorder support have doubled in the past year.
Now, 20 per cent of all visits to Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario come from youth in Wellington and Guelph.
Co-operators, an all-Canadian financial service headquartered in Guelph, is stepping up to help meet this demand by matching gifts made to The Grove Hubs until the end of the year.
“The Grove would like to thank Co-operators for their generous contribution to our fundraising efforts,” said Hoffman. “Co-operators is a long-time supporter of The Grove Hubs and we deeply appreciate their commitment to supporting youth in our community through donation-matching.”
To learn more about The Grove Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario’s end-of-year fundraising campaign, or to donate visit thegrovehubs.ca.
