These days, the successful businessman and entrepreneur is pushing one across Canada in an effort to raise awareness about youth homelessness.
His Push for Change campaign started in Newfoundland on May 1 and has since made its way to Nova Scotia. He’s on his way down the Eastern Shore heading towards Halifax, with plans to hit Pictou County just in time to kick off a fundraiser for an organization that sits very close to his cause.
Roberts will be speaking to Routes to Riches Race participants on July 16 before teams head out on their journey across the county. The race is collecting funds for Roots For Youth, a non-profit organization that provides services to young people in Pictou County, with a focus on youth experiencing homelessness.
“We are so honoured to provide a platform to Joe and The Push for Change campaign and to have such a fitting person to start our race,” said Roots For Youth director Stacey Dlamini in a release.
Earlier this month, Roberts made his way through Membertou and to Maupeltuewey Kina’matno’kuom School, where Grade 6 and 7 students joined Roberts on the final kilometre of his day. Roberts then joined them in their classroom where he told them his story and answered questions from the students.
He told the students that it doesn’t take much for a young person to end up on the streets — his own story being a prime example.
Roberts grew up in Midland, Ont., in a hard-working lower middle class family. But when his father died at a young age, they were “thrust into poverty and fear.” Roberts’ mother remarried and his new stepfather was a violent and abusive man with an alcohol problem.
As a teenager, drugs and alcohol became an escape for Roberts and he left home at the age of 15, eventually making his way to Vancouver.
“I lived under a bridge and I pushed a real shopping cart around,” he recalled.
Luckily for Roberts, his mother and a police officer refused to give up on him and he eventually turned his life around — getting treatment for his addictions, returning to school, and becoming a very successful entrepreneur.
And now he’s giving back by embarking on a 9,000-kilometre, 17-month journey across Canada to raise awareness and dollars to prevent and support the end of youth homelessness. Donations made and money raised during the campaign will go to Raising the Roof’s Upstream Project, a school-based prevention framework to end youth homelessness, as well as to some local youth homelessness organizations across the country.
When asked by a student what inspired him to undertake the ambitious campaign, Roberts said it was an opportunity to do something bigger than his day-to-day work and to help others.
“I became successful but I wasn’t fulfilled inside,” he said. “I think human beings are better when they’re helping others.”
Roberts said the campaign is a chance to send a message to every young person that they have potential.
His journey is expected to conclude in Vancouver, B.C. in September 2017.
He walks approximately 24 km every day, pushing a shopping cart each step of the way. For more information and to follow Roberts’ journey go online to www.thepushforchange.com.
He’ll be speaking to Routes to Riches participants and volunteers at 9:50 a.m., and sounding the starting bell at 10 a.m. from the start line at the Pictou County Gymnastics Club at 558 South Frederick St., New Glasgow.
More information can be found on the race at http://www.pictoucountyrootsforyouth.com/
With files from Amanda Jess
These days, the successful businessman and entrepreneur is pushing one across Canada in an effort to raise awareness about youth homelessness.
His Push for Change campaign started in Newfoundland on May 1 and has since made its way to Nova Scotia. He’s on his way down the Eastern Shore heading towards Halifax, with plans to hit Pictou County just in time to kick off a fundraiser for an organization that sits very close to his cause.
Roberts will be speaking to Routes to Riches Race participants on July 16 before teams head out on their journey across the county. The race is collecting funds for Roots For Youth, a non-profit organization that provides services to young people in Pictou County, with a focus on youth experiencing homelessness.
“We are so honoured to provide a platform to Joe and The Push for Change campaign and to have such a fitting person to start our race,” said Roots For Youth director Stacey Dlamini in a release.
Earlier this month, Roberts made his way through Membertou and to Maupeltuewey Kina’matno’kuom School, where Grade 6 and 7 students joined Roberts on the final kilometre of his day. Roberts then joined them in their classroom where he told them his story and answered questions from the students.
He told the students that it doesn’t take much for a young person to end up on the streets — his own story being a prime example.
Roberts grew up in Midland, Ont., in a hard-working lower middle class family. But when his father died at a young age, they were “thrust into poverty and fear.” Roberts’ mother remarried and his new stepfather was a violent and abusive man with an alcohol problem.
As a teenager, drugs and alcohol became an escape for Roberts and he left home at the age of 15, eventually making his way to Vancouver.
“I lived under a bridge and I pushed a real shopping cart around,” he recalled.
Luckily for Roberts, his mother and a police officer refused to give up on him and he eventually turned his life around — getting treatment for his addictions, returning to school, and becoming a very successful entrepreneur.
And now he’s giving back by embarking on a 9,000-kilometre, 17-month journey across Canada to raise awareness and dollars to prevent and support the end of youth homelessness. Donations made and money raised during the campaign will go to Raising the Roof’s Upstream Project, a school-based prevention framework to end youth homelessness, as well as to some local youth homelessness organizations across the country.
When asked by a student what inspired him to undertake the ambitious campaign, Roberts said it was an opportunity to do something bigger than his day-to-day work and to help others.
“I became successful but I wasn’t fulfilled inside,” he said. “I think human beings are better when they’re helping others.”
Roberts said the campaign is a chance to send a message to every young person that they have potential.
His journey is expected to conclude in Vancouver, B.C. in September 2017.
He walks approximately 24 km every day, pushing a shopping cart each step of the way. For more information and to follow Roberts’ journey go online to www.thepushforchange.com.
He’ll be speaking to Routes to Riches participants and volunteers at 9:50 a.m., and sounding the starting bell at 10 a.m. from the start line at the Pictou County Gymnastics Club at 558 South Frederick St., New Glasgow.
More information can be found on the race at http://www.pictoucountyrootsforyouth.com/
With files from Amanda Jess
