When Lynn Thomas woke up Wednesday morning, she thought to herself, “This is a million-dollar day.”
The development co-ordinator for Building Hope was right. A few hours later, she accepted a cheque for $1 million from Jim Burton on behalf of the James A. Burton and Family Foundation.
“Our family is very aware of mental illness and addictions, and that’s only part of it,” said Burton, who lost a son to an overdose. “There is a real need in Canada, in Simcoe County and in Orillia.”
The donation will go toward the youth services wing in the new community services hub and shelter being built on Queen Street, and the wing will be named after the foundation.
Burton lives in Niagara-on-the-Lake, but he was raised in Orillia and still has a place in the area.
“Orillia was a wonderful place to grow up. This was a chance for me to give back,” he said. “I see this as a chance to make a difference in people’s lives, one by one. It’s not just me. It’s my wife, my seven children and their children.”
When Burton heard about Building Hope — which will expand on the current services offered at the Lighthouse men’s shelter — he wanted to contribute.
“There wasn’t anything for women and youth, and this is for everyone,” he said. “I see this as a gateway — a gateway to building hope.”
Being able to make such a significant donation to Building Hope is “a great feeling,” Burton said.
“It’s such a privilege to be involved with this group.”
It was a perfect early Christmas present, said Thomas.
“It’s a nice time of year to be getting this donation,” she said, noting it is the largest single donation that has been made to the campaign. “Any day you can say $1 million came in is a good day.”
Burton will remain involved in the project and Thomas said his “philanthropic expertise is an enormous benefit to what we’re doing.”
She’s excited to be able to have a youth services wing in the new facility.
“A lot of the research on youth homelessness shows those individuals need that space,” she said.
Wednesday’s donation means Building Hope is now $1.3 million away from reaching its $14.5-million capital campaign goal. After that, the fundraising focus will shift to the ongoing need for operational funding.
Building Hope is aiming for a spring 2021 opening at 75 Queen St.
