HELP OUR STUDENTS PROGRAM

To begin, I would like to give my biggest thanks to Richard Lussier, the HOST program, and all the staff that has awarded me with this scholarship. The award has provided support and guidance to myself and my family, especially with the current state of the world. Realizing that a group of adults had come together and collectively choose me as a recipient of this award brought me joy and has inspired me to dream larger in my future career path, and I cannot be more excited. The monthly earnings of $100 gave my family comfort. Whenever we needed to provide food on the table, we had the emergency income to turn to or even any other situation where the money was needed, I was able to contribute. Primarily because of this a lot of stress was taken off of the hands of my parents and post-secondary became the greatest focus. Like I mentioned earlier, this award helps me dream bigger for school. This upcoming fall, I will be attending University with a major in rehabilitation science. On top of that, later down the road, I want to go back to school and study something related to social sciences or even just be involved in my community for marginalized and racialized youth across. I've found a new love for helping and advocating for my people, and I want to continue to encourage my community to achieve anything. As well as academics, this fall, I am looking to be a track and field athlete and take my skills to the next level. Just to restate, this scholarship has given me new hope for my future, and more than ever before, I'm more sure in myself and excited to continue with my path of becoming an individual and leaving something behind for people to remember. To some people, this may not mean as much, but to me, it has provided comfort and stability when it wasn't there.  One day I want to be able to offer what I've been given.

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I just want to say thank you. I don't really have much else to say. I am not the best with words and such but thank you. It has helped in providing financial support as I am one to save my money, instead of spend it, so if my mom ever needed the money I was always able to give her some to help pay for things. She has been going through a rough patch as she is not receiving her proper amount of money she needs. I guess being able to help allows me to feel better about myself and also make sure I can help my family. I have always been good at school and such, but life stress caused me to stop trying as much, and I was getting less sleep, eating less etc., and knowing that if my mom really needs the help I can help her is less of a burden on me. Or if we get kicked out then I would have money to put us in a crappy motel for a night or two until we find a better living situation, or are allowed to go back home. Thank you for being able to help get me through an already tough situation (financial one) that got even worse because of COVID!

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This past year my family has been suffering financially due to my mom not being able to work so there would be a time I didn’t have food to eat at school but thanks to this program I had food every day. I also used the money to buy me clothes and this is the first year I could ever get myself clothes that I wanted rather than my mom buying me whatever is cheap. It really helped that the money was given at the beginning of the month because my mom would get her government money in the middle of the month. This program  has really helped my family a lot thank you much. The money also pushed me to try hard in school and have a reward to look forward to every month.

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I want to start off my thanking all the people who donate and help with the HOST foundation as it has helped me for the past two years and many other people over the years. I was honoured when I found out I was getting help for another year. It was not until last month that I got a part-time job because I found it hard to juggle school and a job. Over the school year, the bursary has helped me quite a lot. At the start of the school year it helped me get the necessary school supplies I needed to continue my grade 11 year. During the year, the money helped me feel less stressed and embarrassed when hanging out with friends and needing to pay for food. The money also helped me buy clothes to fit my body. Over the past year my body has changed quite a lot and my clothes did not fit, the money allowed me to get some new things to let me feel comfortable in what I wore. Last the money helped teach me how to manage my expenses and prioritize what I need vs what I want. I want to thank you again for helping me out over the past 2 years and all the other students. I am very appreciative of what everyone is doing to help others out.

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Receiving the Host Program award was one of the best things to have happened to me. I was going through a really hard time in my life. It made life so much more easier for me and my family. I was able to provide for myself and get things I wanted. For example I was able to buy myself clothes, makeup, treating myself to food, etc.

I never thought anything like this would ever happen to me. I felt as if there was a black cloud over my head, but being chosen for this award in itself gives me so much hope. It made me feel recognized for my accomplishments and that's a feeling I don't think I've ever felt before. Thank you for choosing me.

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With the money I got a new bag and some school supplies and it helped me get a new bike so that I can get to places without being worried. Thanks for this opportunity.  It's very helpful and it also made my family life easier and made it easier to afford things like food, water and school supplies for myself. It's really nice what you are doing for us. I find that it is hard for me to go to school because I try and I didn't have the tools to succeed and now I do. I'm not the best in class and I try not to fail. I try my best.

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I am very thankful for your help more than I could ever say it. I am also very thankful for my school for choosing me. It has been helping me a lot throughout this school year. As an immigrant student with a single mother here in Canada, I really appreciate this financial support. I used to work at a cafe in St. Laurent Mall which was almost two hours away from where I live since I had to travel through OC Transpo as me and my mother weren’t able to afford a vehicle for our needs. She was able to support me with good shelter, food, and love... though it was still a struggle for me to access things that other kids had. My mother’s friends were kind enough to lend me their children’s old school supplies when I first came in Canada but this help of yours made a big impact. I am currently in Grade 11 going into 12 and I have saved over 70% of the money I have received for next year and spent 30% of it for this year’s expenses. In the beginning of this school year as we were back in school, I was able to afford the school supplies that I needed, unfortunately as the school year went on lockdowns happened and we were stuck at home. I used the money for travelling expenses every time me and my mom would do our monthly groceries and I was able to buy foods that I wanted without having to ask my mom to spend more than her budget. I remember Richard’s story (Mr. Lussier), and it really inspired me as he is now very successful and has been helping me and other kids from financial struggles throughout the years. I also would never forget the look on my mother’s face, the day I told her about the program. Thank you so much!!

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With my Mom being a single mother her whole life and relying heavily on my grandparents (her Mom and Dad) to take care of me while she worked almost every day, it's been hard. But then the sudden passing of both Grandma and Grandpa in less than a year apart was horrific to us. This program has literally changed my life personally and my Mom’s along with it. With having a $100 every month it makes it so my Mom can focus a lot more on spending money on essential things like our house, our food etc. When going to school before this pandemic I was able to use the money to pay for a bus pass monthly, that saved my Mom literal hundreds of dollars and time every month. Now with school being online for me this school year I’ve been able to use the money for my own a little more. I’ve saved a lot of it and spent about $30 every $100 to my own accord. I've been able to get my own supper a good amount of times.  I’ve been able to put money for my own enjoyment and not have to ask my Mom or worry that I’m wasting her money.

To explain in a better manner, my stress levels down, my enjoyment of life up. I feel so much better and it's helped me personally more than anyone can imagine. As I look to get a job this summer, this money will provide me with good clothes, bus passes and much more to have an amazing summer. Thank you HOST program for everything and God bless you.

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This award has meant a lot not only to me but to my family as well. After hearing the news my family was so proud to have heard of my accomplishment and were proud of how far we had come from not having much the last year to getting an amazing award such as this one. It was an honour to have received this award because of where me and my family had come from. We had only been living in this home for a year and before that, we were staying in a shelter. It was very demoralizing to have to live in those type of circumstances but to know I was accepted to get the award was very gratifying and almost emotional. My parents had always told me that life wasn't easy but no matter what happens they instilled in me to never give up and work hard no matter what the situation is.

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My father passed away when I was 16 years old. My mother provided for a family of 6 and it was extremely difficult to receive everything I needed to take care of myself. I didn't have the proper hair products, clothes, skin care, etc. Since my father had passed away, I no longer had a second person to rely on. The pandemic started and it was extremely challenging to get a job. It took me a year. But once I started receiving help from the Help Our Students Program, there was a massive difference in my life. Every month I would go out and buy new hair products, skin products, essential products, I could go out with friends, enjoy a Starbucks coffee and not worry anymore. I felt extremely relieved and at ease. The Help Our Students Program has helped me in so many ways, I am very thankful. I believe that the Help Our Students Program is very beneficial and I hope more people benefit from it like I did. Thank you!

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I’ll be honest, when I first heard that this was going to happen, I was very surprised. I did not expect anything from the invitation at first, I could go as far to say that I thought I was doing that bad in school, to where they had to talk to me in private. Sometimes, I still feel like I don’t deserve an opportunity like this. $1000 Dollars is a HUGE amount of money for us; we aren’t a wealthy family at all. And although I don’t feel deserving of the reward, I will explain how it helped us.

At some point, (I forgot when, I have Goldfish memory, but it did happen!!) we had insignificant money to finish repairs on my mother’s car, but because of the money that came in that month, we had enough money to afford it. Without it, I don’t think we would’ve been able to go anywhere or do anything important for a while. That was helpful.

I was able to buy myself food. We don’t have much food at our house. I don’t eat much food myself, so it was very nice to actually have a bit of my own money to be able to eat something. I was able to do things for my family, too. Treat them, at least. I care about my family a lot, so it makes me happy to see them happy.

I learnt a bit on how to manage money, such as saving money, staying on a budget, and making good financial decisions independently. It was certainly different to have my own money I can spend at will, but I did not spend it on stupid things. There aren't any unneeded things I need, anyways.

That’s all I have to say. Having this opportunity was awesome, it really had a large impact!!

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The HOST Program had granted me the opportunity of a lifetime this senior year. I still remember so vividly the day my guidance counsellor told me about the news, he had surprised me with a video call of both him and Mr. Lussier. I was told of what was about to happen and I was speechless and completely dumbfounded. I was even unable to stop myself from crying and had a lot of ​"thank yous" and "Oh MY GODs". 

Through the scholarship, I was able to feed myself and buy groceries for the family with the money. Notably, after the pandemic my family's finances were also shaken, my sister was temporarily put off work, so she was spending her savings to help us out. With the money I had: I was able to buy my older sister her Christmas present, buy her favourite things and motivate her when she felt down.

As previously stated 2020 was my first year to buy my family Christmas presents through the money I saved up that the HOST program had provided. I recognized that my family deserved to be appreciated even for once by me and give back to people who have always supported me. In addition, I even brought my favourite teacher a present. This will forever be in my memories

The experiences I have had through the HOST program that stabilized my finances even for a little while was something that past me would have never dreamt of.

I just want to say a sincere thank you for giving me this opportunity. I will never take for granted the love shown to me. I will make sure to expand this gesture when I also start earning money. To be able to provide for kids who would be still in the situation like I was in. Not a thing to improve on. Thank you so much for the love from me and my family to you.

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When I found out I was given the Host Program award I was overjoyed. I always loved thinking about life after school but I had never truly thought post-secondary would be an option for me. Reasons as to why I thought that vary from money, to work ethic, to wanting to be close to home. However, when I was presented with the award something clicked and I could not stop thinking about how I want to put the money towards post-secondary. With the money I want to buy a laptop that I can use either from home or at a University for schooling to become a teacher.

I could not be more thankful for this experience and privilege to get the help I needed to gain control of my future and gain confidence in myself. Knowing that other people had such faith in me and believing that I can accomplish my goals, helped me take the steps I needed to move closer towards them.

There are no words for how grateful I am to have this opportunity. I will hopefully be the first person in my family to attend post-secondary. One part of this whole journey that I am thankful for is being able to be an example for my siblings. My family has been through a rough time over the past year. I have been able to show them that no matter how hard you get knocked down, you will have people who will give a hand and you can muster up strength to get up as well. From the push I was given I will continue to reach my goals and help others around me so they can do so as well. I also hope that I can participate with this program in the future. Knowing it had such an amazing impact on me, I would love to provide an experience like this for another.

Thank you could not suffice to the gratitude I have. I will keep this moment near and dear to my heart and when I reach my overall goal, this very experience will be how I started my journey.

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Having a beautiful smile can boost your self-esteem and your physical and emotional health. Despite all the positive benefits of having a beautiful smile, not all people can afford the luxury of braces.  Prior to this year, I was included in this group of less fortunate people.

However, this year my luck changed when I was chosen as a candidate for the HOST program and I was given $1,000 over the course of the school year. This money helped me change my smile by helping me supplement the cost of orthodontics.  As an ELL student, learning English, my misaligned teeth affected the pronunciation of my words.  My new braces are straightening my teeth and making me more confident in my communication with my teachers, new friends, and community members.        

This wonderful opportunity, the HOST program, allows me to experience a tremendous change not only in myself but in my life as a whole. It has given me more self-confidence and new hope for a better future.  I am very thankful for this program that gives opportunities and perks for underprivileged students to stay in school and graduate with a high school diploma. In fact, the program founder, Richard, encourages hardworking students to realize their dreams despite poverty.

Once again, I am very thankful for being chosen for the HOST program.  It was an unexpected opportunity that has given me so much confidence. I would like to say a word of thanks to everyone who contributed to this assistance, which raised my morale even more to study.

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Firstly, I would like to personally thank my school staff and members of the HOST program for providing me with this once in a lifetime opportunity. Throughout high school, I had to sacrifice a large portion of my time to pick up a part-time job so my family could stay afloat. I would choose work over school because it was a matter of not only comfort, but survival. It was difficult being 15 and putting off assignments and handing them in late just so I could make extra money. I often prayed for the ability to rest instead of worrying about how my brother would be fed, how we’d be able to do schoolwork if we didn’t have Wi-Fi, how my family would get anywhere without a Presto Pass. It always seemed like we were short something.

The morning that I found out about being a candidate for the program, I almost didn’t come to school as I had a shift that ended at 11pm the night before and had to stay up to finish some assignments. Hearing the news of being a part of the HOST program provided me with the greatest relief I’d say I’ve ever felt in my teenage years. I was never someone who asked for help, so being given the help I needed, no questions asked, was one of the greatest feelings. The appreciation I have for those at the HOST program is beyond describable. Thank you for being a source of stability for so many students like me.

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I remember the exact moment my teacher approached me and brought me into a room to speak to Richard Lussier about how I’ve been chosen to be rewarded by the host program. I didn’t know what to expect or what the program was even about. After getting to know Richard and his story he told me how I was chosen because of my hard work and dedication in my studies. I was struggling and had bad marks but I picked myself back up and tried my best to graduate with my friends and get good grades and I did. The school recognized that even though I was struggling and almost failed my year, I still wanted to graduate and I didn’t give up. I felt so honoured and happy when I heard that he noticed my improvements and someone wanted to help me. As long as I stayed in school, went to school every day and had decent grades he would send me 100$ every month. I didn’t even have a bank account or a job when this happened. It was an issue for myself before that I didn’t have a bank account so this pushed me to get one finally. To have money sent to me I had to have a bank so finally, I got a bank account for myself. That was a good step for me, it made me feel good. Eventually seeing the money being sent to my account I realized how I liked having money and I want to keep making money. I never really had money before to spend on myself so it felt nice. It also made me realize how I didn’t want to be depending on people my entire life to send me money, I had to make my own. So I started applying everywhere for jobs. I was feeling more confident and supported just because I was being rewarded. I got myself some nice shoes for work and pants and pushed myself to go out of my comfort zone. I got my first job at Walmart in October and I was so proud of myself. Eventually, I started getting my paychecks and realized how hard you have to work for money and how easy it is to spend a lot of money on useless things. I’m so happy and appreciative of the fact that I got the chance to be rewarded and noticed. I’ve bought myself some nice clothes and I’ve bought myself a nice phone. I’ve also been able to maintain my bills and learn how to manage money and be more mature. I’ve grown so much in the past couple of months and I know the host program was a big positive factor. Without this program, I don’t think I would be where I am today. When Richard told me he was going to help me I wanted to cry. He was a huge factor in all my accomplishments in the last couple of months and I can’t thank him enough. Thank you so much for this opportunity!

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When I first heard that I would be receiving $100 every month for my last year of high school, I almost cried. I'll start with a little background. I live in a one parent household with the occasional visit with my dad. My little brother has health issues and he requires a lot of attention, especially in the past year since he hasn't been attending school. My mother hasn't been able to work very much this past year because she has had to stay home to help my brother with his online classes, so money has often been pretty tight. Having that extra $100 dollars every month has taken off the pressure to ask my parents for things that I know they might not always be able to afford. I have been able to buy 90% of the clothing I have needed this past year (Including my prom dress, so that was very exciting). There are many things I have been able to do/afford that I otherwise would not have been able if not for the HOST program, some examples include, getting family and friends Christmas gifts, paying for my collage applications, buying a prom dress, buying groceries for myself while my mother was away, and many more that I can't think of at the moment. Each month I have also been saving 50% of all the money I have received to help pay off some of my next year’s college expenses in case I don't receive any scholarships. I have recently discovered that I might have dyslexia, so if I have extra savings next year I plan on getting tested. All of the money I have received has been greatly appreciated and I hope you know how much of a difference you make in youths lives.

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I am 1 of 5 children in a large family living in Ottawa Ontario. At the age of 10 I was diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, suffering severe depression having to take medication for both, these however did not affect how I choose to live my life helping others was something my parents taught me so to help with both my ADHD and depression I would usually try to help others whenever I could.

In my spare time I started to write short stories which then turned into full on books. From these unfinished books I started to draw the characters, clothing, and equipment of the people with in them. By doing these things I would release both stress and negative thoughts onto paper using my depression as a way to fuel my creativity.

In 2018 we moved in with my grandmother in which I grew a stronger attachment with her than my other siblings had, while they would go to movies and visits friends I would always stay with her to make sure she would not be alone having learned to make tea from her as well as a bit of sewing.

At the start of 2020 I lost my grandmother in hospital. I was depressed for several days. I would sometimes forget she was gone making tea but remember she was not around anymore.

My father alone had to pay for food and supplies which weighted heavily on his income, when I was introduced to the host program by my guidance counselor. I was reluctant at first but thanks to the program award I was able to financially support my family buying frozen food and other supplies whenever I could. Stress on my father and family was relieved as we didn't need to worry about our finances.

If I hadn't been introduced to the Host Program I may not have made it through school.

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As a grade 12 student looking to continue my education by attending a university starting this fall, it can always be stressful whenever there is financial instability in a family. Since I was selected to be supported financially and for other reasons by Richard and his Help Our Students Program, I felt honored and thankful for what I think is going to ease the financial stress my family and I struggle with regularly, and looking for more job opportunities to save as much money as possible for the future and many more. From day one, this award has helped me to use the money I receive to pay for much-needed post-secondary payments and daily needs. It has changed my life for the better. Some of the things I worried about before this support dropped significantly and slowly, because I see the impact this has had on my life. I love helping people, and I am aware that I have to help others; it might not only be through money. I am happy to be part of a program like this one so that I can do great things with his program for others.

I am just excited about this support! I hope other students receive this kind of help or even better, whom may have similar financial issues like I do occurring in their lives or worse so that they are provided with the right support to pursue their goals. I want to thank Richard and everyone for the continued aid.

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First I would like to thank all the people involved in making this program, be it the donators or directors. The "Help Our Students Program" helped me in buying  a computer which I could use to pursue studies in my desired field. As I'm going into Software Engineering, it is primordial to have a good enough computer to keep up with new technologies. The help given to me by the program came at the right moment, just when I was thinking about buying a computer for myself and I knew I wouldn't be able to afford it even with the money I was making while doing a part-time job. The HOST program gave me help when I needed it the most and that is a trait I will keep with me forever. Thank you again to all the people who made this possible. I'm infinitely grateful.

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First of all I would like to thank the HOST program for allowing me to be a participant. Leaving home at a young age with no financial support from parental/guardian figures made it difficult for me to pursue secondary schooling. This program has allowed me to have financial backing and gives me an opportunity to further my education. Secondly, I’d like to point out that this program has given me a chance to go after a career in horticulture. Without this program I wouldn’t have felt comfortable accepting my admission to the course. The funds available allowed me to follow my dream by purchasing work clothes and supplies to give me a chance to make more money leading up to this fall. I also feel confident that I own my own tools required to succeed in this field.

Thank you for this opportunity and this chance. I’m extremely grateful.

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Over the year, I found the HOST program award very helpful to me and my family. It impacted my life by being able to buy equipment for school, even though I am at home due to the pandemic, that didn't stop me from writing my notes! I used the award to buy Christmas and birthday gifts for my family and saw smiles on their faces. I bought myself new clothes and hygiene products, and also shared some of them with my sisters (depending on what it was). I also helped my family by buying them groceries and hygiene products. I didn't need to use the award for school activities because I am currently enrolled in OCV (virtual school), and there haven't been any activities that I needed to pay for, so instead, I saved the rest of the award for the future use.

Thank you so much, my family and I are so grateful for the award.

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With my award money, I bought gifts for a special celebration for my family and I spent a good amount on eating lunch rather than not eating. And buying coffee, which helped a lot with my school work. My family does not have a car, and it felt really good that I could pick up things for my mother when she needed them using the money. I went on a grocery haul for my family and realized the importance of budgeting and learned more about cooking. I used a small amount of money for things I didn't have the money for before, like makeup, new clothes and cosmetic services. This made me so confident in my everyday life and a lot more willing to participate in social settings. It felt good when I could take my siblings out and feed them and spend more time with them. As well as go out with friends here and there and afford my own food independently. It felt good not worrying about needing a big job and focusing on school and on my mental health. I set aside some of the money for my bigger goals, and learn how not to lose my money on un-essential things. When I heard I was selected for the HOST program award, I felt like I mattered for something, as at that time my family was in crisis and I was having extreme mental issues. Having the money, I bought books to read although I didn't really read before.

I would like to say a great big thank you for this honour.

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First off I want to say a big thank you again for giving me this opportunity to receive the 100$ a month until the end of the school year. You have come into my life as a blessing and I will forever be grateful for that. Money has always been tight with me and my family so when I went home to tell my parent the exciting news they were more than happy. I have 6 siblings and because of your gracious acts my 6 siblings were able to enjoy a few more things in their childhood, I saved up enough money by Christmas so I could afford the things they wanted which also helped my parents save some money and give them a break. During lockdown I was unable to work and my dad was struggling to keep his job, so using the money from this HOST program I was able to help my dad with the necessities like groceries, paying the bills and sometimes rent movies for the family to watch together. I also saved some money and put it towards paying my phone bill and also put some money into my college fund my dad started when I was born.

I was able to make the 100$ a month worth it, and all thanks to you we were able to enjoy Christmas in lockdown, keep food in our stomach, a roof over our heads and clothing on our backs and for that we give you a big thank you from my family.

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The HOST program has impacted my everyday life in many ways because it has given me many opportunities to focus on my education while still having a bit of pocket money to take care of myself. The program also made me realize my true academic potential. With the safety of knowing I had a monthly allowance I was really able to focus solely on my academics. From being kicked out and homeless at 15 to having a 80.3 average in my grade 12 year has shown me that no matter what circumstance you’re in when you set goals with focus and persistence you can achieve them. The HOST program has helped me throughout 2 years of my High School journey and with their support I've managed to stay in school because I've learned that education is power. About 39% of the worldwide population isn't educated. Many individuals do not have the luxury and privilege to read or write. Therefore education is a privilege, even though it should be a basic human right in my personal opinion. With that being said, that's why every time I go to school I give it my full attention as I know not everyone has the privilege to learn how to read or write. Another way the HOST program has impacted my life, it has taught me how to budget properly. From the monthly allowance I was receiving I learned what it really means to budget and live on a budget. Ever heard of the term quality over quantity? The way I see it when it comes to budgeting It's quantity over quality. It's a whole different mindset I had to adapt to in order to make my funds last. Moreover with budgeting I've learned self-discipline, how to save more money, how to take care of your money, and how to control your sending with responsibility. Also teaches you how to plan for the future and set long-term goals.

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My family immigrated to Canada over 2 years ago and for this reason my family had to be conservative in regards to spending, which is totally reasonable, but that came with its burdens.

Thanks to the HOST program, I've broadened my university/programs options to pick from, which I wouldn't have had the opportunity to do so otherwise. I've helped buy groceries, bought school materials for me and my other two siblings, etc.

Most importantly, this experience revealed to me a side I didn't know about myself. I can get pretty impulsive sometimes. Though it took me a while, from this revelation, I got compelled to open my eyes to a more disciplined and intentional way of spending, which honestly may have possibly prevented me from making any naive life changing financial decisions in the future. In addition to that, to take matters in my own hands, I invested a portion of the money into cryptocurrency to help save and add profit to the initial value, which I consider a step in the right direction.

I have become a new and more responsible person, and can without a doubt say that this experience has been a significant factor.

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There is absolutely no way to express my appreciation and gratitude for this program. Prior to the lockdowns that happened due to COVID, my sister and I were living every couple months or so with a different friend’s household, with every experience ending badly and so we decided, not too long ago, to move into our own home. Currently, we are both living together in an apartment. It’s definitely been a little bit stressful as, because of the pandemic, my sister is now unemployed and I have been struggling to find a job for a while now. But knowing that there is still some kind of constant money coming in, it definitely helps to lower the stress and constant anxiety of the thought that there might come a time where she’ll need to drop out of school just to be able to better support us financially. $100 every month goes a very long way for us. And for that, thank you very much.

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The Host Program award was an encouragement to me. It showed me that I can do anything and be anything as long as I commit to it. My family's financial state is not so good. I have been missing school activities and going out with my friends because I was ashamed I could not afford them. This award helped me participate in school activities and hang out with friends. I used to look shabby and embarrassed because I could not afford clothes, this award helped me start looking clean and smart. I bought clothes and bought food for our home. I started helping with grocery shopping at home. This award helped me be more determined to reach my grade goals. I was able to focus at school and increase my grades.  I was always underestimated and I thought I would never achieve any award in my high school. This award changed my perspective and my way of thinking. This award has also inspired me to help other people who are going through difficult times. This award boosted my confidence in doing psychology with the sole aim of helping people out there who are going through difficult times with no strings attached. This award has given me the desire to work in Non-government organizations with the aim of changing people's perspectives about themselves and making a difference in their lives.

Thank you so much Mr. President for helping me and being a hero to me. I will always remember this award throughout my lifetime. I am so grateful for taking this approach and thinking about people like me. This award helped me materially and immaterially. I will forever be grateful to you.

With ink and a blank document, I cannot fully write down every impact of this award on me because the paper document cannot contain every single word of appreciation that I have for your Program, Sir. However, I am grateful to the President for starting this program and help hundreds of people like me. May God richly bless you and all the works of your hands. May you be a blessing to many other kids out there who are going through difficult times and think that they can never achieve anything.

***

Before I begin my letter and the impact this program had on me, I want to thank Richard Lussier and the HOST program for this incredible opportunity that they have given me. When Richard told me I would be receiving this award, I was totally speechless and extremely happy, and I never knew my hard work was acknowledged. Before receiving this award, I was worried of how I might fund my College tuition and the jobs I would have to take to fund my dream of going to college, but this award took all my worries away and given me a chance to get a head start in life and in college. I tended to use this for my program at college, which is Architectural technologist, and use it so secure my seat in the program, which I couldn't before, and again thank you to the all the donors and people that support this program. I wish more people knew about the great things you were doing.

***

When I received this, I was in the darkest time I have ever been. The pandemic had been going on far longer than any of us could have anticipated, and I was thinking of ending it all. One day my guidance counselor told me to join a google meet, and there I was told I was going to receive $1000 because I was hard-working. This act of generosity helped me to realize good things still happen, and that not all is wrong in the world. After going through (and still in) therapy I have grown to enjoy life more, and not let the negatives get in my way, and cloud over the positives. With this money I plan to take a trip to England to celebrate the end of covid. I know it seems far away now, but I know one day all will be back to normal -- summer always comes.

I come from a family of immigrant parents, but although they weren't born here or knew how to speak the language properly they always made the effort to let us live without fear or stress about the future. I knew from an early age that I couldn't be relying on my parents too much since we were a family of 5 children that I’d probably be needing to save up and get a job of my own at the right age. With this award, I was finally able to have money on my own to spend, to help my parents, to have money on the occasion of school trips, and much more. Having this award helped me have a bit of money in the future for the school, having this award helped me not stress about the future and helped me keep focus in school rather than worrying about the future. I thank those who contributed to this award and pray that they receive the same gratitude and stress-free moments that this award helped me and allowed me to have. Thank you for this award and thank you for helping me ensure a future without the need of stress. Thank you very much! This award took a lot of stress off, instead of me stressing about the future I took that time to prepare for the future and build myself a set future that I can look forward to. Not only that but I was able to help my parents bit by bit.

***

I'm very grateful to have been a recipient of this program and funding for the second year. It helped me quite a lot. As a youth that lives independently, I could always use some extra help with financial support and with the help of this program, it did just that! I used the funding from this program on basic necessities such as groceries and things I need to have at home. In 2020, I moved into my own apartment and having to start almost from scratch was a little challenging (meaning having to buy most of my necessities).

Having that extra financial help allowed me to spend it on things I needed for my apartment such as furniture, dishes, and other necessary aspects. I'm planning on getting my name changed legally so the last bit of this funding will go to paying that fee for the name change hopefully.  I cannot emphasize how lucky and grateful I am for granting me this financial support again, for the second year. 

***

The Host Program was one of the best things that has ever happened to me throughout my high school years. These past 4 years was definitely one of the hardest years I've faced. I was an unmotivated student, always feeling like I was doing something wrong and always doubting myself. When I was chosen for the award it genuinely made me feel like I was doing  something good to be deserving of this award. This award has helped me a lot during this pandemic. I was able to send my family members some money to help them with their living expenses. I was also able to help my father with rent, utilities and other payments. I also plan on supporting others so they would feel how I felt. I would like to say thank you again and for those that also participated in the program, you guys have helped so many students just like me to be recognized and gifted for their hard work. This was a wonderful experience. 

***

The past year has been a trying time for everyone. With constant shutdowns, cancelations and closures of our province, maintaining an athletic lifestyle would have been very difficult if it was not for this award. With the help of the award, I was able to get resistance bands, a skipping rope, and a pair of dumbbells so that I could continue staying in shape from home. I was fortunate to be invited to train with Team Ontario in the winter, not having to worry about if I can afford to play really took a huge stone off my chest. Being able to attend the training camps opened up so many doors for my future such as playing on a university team, and also for the national team. For me this award made me feel like I wasn't left behind or abandoned in such a transitional period of my life. Switching to all online school came with a lot of unexpected expenses and the award helped me succeed in this transition. I will forever be grateful for this award because the HOST program helped eliminate the worry of not being able to succeed because of a lack of finances and gave me a huge helping hand.

***

First and foremost, I want to appreciate you for this amazing gift that you’ve blessed me and my family with. Having this monthly allowance to cover necessary expenses and university costs has eased some of my worries and stresses. I remember when I was presented with this award last year. I was amazed that I was selected to be the recipient of the HOST Program award. My heart raced and I burst into tears. In that moment it felt like one of my prayers had been answered. 
Because of the pandemic, I have not had many reasons to spend this money aside from school fees and food, but I am planning on using the last of this award to pay for my residence fees and any outstanding expenses that need to be paid. 
This fall I am planning on moving for my post-secondary education. I will be partaking in one of their many undergraduate programs. This program will open many opportunities for me to pursue a career in fashion and any sort of graphic design or communications positions. 

I would like to thank you all again for your generosity. As I said earlier, this gift has truly been an aid to me and my family. I hope the same way the HOST Program has helped me, it will help another deserving student. 

***

I currently have not spent any of the award money I received as I have saved all of it for future use. I am planning to mainly use all of the award money to pay for university applications, and I may use it for living expenses (food, rent, cellphone, etc.)

I felt grateful, surprised, and modestly reluctant upon hearing that I had been selected for the award as I am a relatively humble person and the amount of award money I would be receiving was moderately substantial. The award money has helped give me more peace of mind as it is a reassuring amount of money to have laying around. I am more than content with the award money and I appreciate the sentiment on my qualification for the award.

***

I'd like to thank the Help Our Students Program for helping me pay to participate in social gatherings with friends, buying food, transportation and personal belongings. The Host Program has helped me with out with lowering my stress levels when it comes to financial issues. Alongside helping make purchases for my parents whether that be for gas or groceries, I typically used the host program money provided to buy food or occasional transport whenever I'm out. I did use a small portion of the funds to purchase some personal items such as computer parts. I do hope to purchase myself a vehicle within the year if possible. If it weren't for the Host Program providing the money I would most likely be on the fence about purchasing anything. I am incredibly grateful that I've received the Program Rewards and that I could be given a hand for my financial situation. I hope that someday I could do the same and provide to those who are also in need of financial help.

***

I am so grateful for the award and I just wanted to say thank you. This award helped me in many ways. When I received the award I wasn’t  working by then, so it helped me with my personal finances and also I used some of the money to register for my college. It also gave me the hope that hard work really pays.

I used the first money for my college then the other I spent on my personal things like buying data, buying clothes and others. I am so grateful and may God add you more to bless other people and may he bless the work of your hands

***

The Host Program award has made post-secondary expenses much easier to deal with. I am using the award money to pay for a large sum of a college program I am very passionate about. I am very interested in art so I decided to do an art program with the help of this money. This award had kept me motivated to do well in school and keep on pushing through it. Knowing that my hard work has been noticed is really motivating and impactful. I did very well in my last year of high school and knowing people are recognizing my hard work and achievements makes school and studying a lot better. Overall I am grateful for the Host Program award. It truly made my last year of high school significantly better. Thank you:)!  

*** 

Thank you to the President for the HOST Program award.

I am delighted to have received this money.

Reasons why I have not spent the money at this time are as follows:

- Multiple limitations on my plans for using the award money due to Covid.

- I am not sure what my career choices will be.

I will be going into Grade 12 in September 2021.

During this time I plan to look at career choices and the prerequisites for admission to Algonquin College. This may include a return to High School in Sept 2022 to do more Grade 12 courses. Over the next two academic years I will be able to select where best to spend the money, for example; extra tutoring, extra curricula activities, purchase of a personal laptop computer.

***

It gave me money when I didn’t have it. I spent the money on my phone and food. It was so helpful because if I didn’t have the money I wouldn't have had a phone which I need to talk to my mom in case something happens. This is very important to my family. It gave me a head start on my savings. Every month I get the 100 dollars so it was much easier to save. It also made me get a bank account where I can’t pull the money out so put that in a good spot for my savings. I was thankful for the money because when I was hungry I was able to go buy food when I didn’t have the money myself.

***

I haven't had much money before December due to rough family circumstances. With the money I got from the award, I managed to help finance my new computer which I highly needed for school due to everything being online. This award also helped me get lunches and food at my part-time job. Thanks to the award, I have become far more financially independent. I will soon have my own car once I get my license, which has been constantly delayed due to covid. I will be going to Ottawa U next year, getting my BAC in history, and will be taking 2 years in teachers college after that. I want to thank everyone who helped finance this award. I am very grateful.

***

The Host Program has helped me in many ways. These include feeling motivated and feeling like there are people out there who believe in me enough to give me this opportunity. Money has been stressful recently especially since I have just turned 18 and need to reapply for my disability money and there have been a few troubles with getting that done. This money helped pay for things that I can eat and also enjoy doing. It has been hard during covid and I’m just very thankful. I am able to hang out with friends and also pitch in for food and paying for activities so I don’t have to feel like a burden anymore or be worried that they might think I’m using them for money or leeching off of them. Again I want to thank the Host Program for their support.

***

I have to start off by showing my appreciation for allowing me to be in such a program. Without having a job during the school year, this helped tremendously. It was used for plenty of different things, mostly for expenses such as food and bills, as I received it at the beginning of the month. I’m sure I’ve probably bought McDonald’s or something superficial or temporary at some point, but my objective was to put the money towards necessities. My only other source of constant income came from Ontario Works, so adding an extra one hundred dollar a month did more than expected. This program has brought me a lot of financial security, and definitely helped me in the long run to live better. I would just like to thank everybody who was involved in this program for helping me to live a more secure and fulfilling life.

***

The Help Our Students Program has helped me in so many ways. At the start of the year, I was really worried about my grades and how they would be affected because of how much I was working because of covid. This program gave me some room to breathe, I was able to cut back on some of my shifts and not worry about bills and food. My stress level went down a lot and I was able to take the time to do my school work and graduate. I was also able to put some of the money towards driving lessons so I can get my G2 driver’s license soon. This was a big priority for me because I currently can’t go to college or university so I want to get a good job and start saving so I can go one day and get a better education. Lastly because of covid money has been really tight and I didn’t always have enough money for snacks or healthier foods, because of the program I’ve started eating better and I’ve noticed a huge change in my energy level and my health. I want to thank everyone involved in the program, I’m very optimistic for my future now and none of that would’ve been possible without this program.

***

I'm writing about how Help Our Students Program helped me and my family through harsh times.

I have been having trouble staying in school due to my mother being really ill. She has medical issues acting up. Because of this, I been having trouble staying at school without worrying about her. Online school doesn't really do me justice. Home environment and school environment are totally two different environments.

I have picked up a part-time job and it has been going well until recently they stopped giving hours because of Covid-19. I been using the money I received from this program to pay for bills, groceries and any basic needs that we need. I want to finish school and focus more on working and hopefully go to college and start my own business.

I’m really grateful to Mr. Lussier for choosing me for Help Our Students. It has helped me in multiple ways and without his help, I wouldn't be at school as much. I regret not going to school as much as I should but mentally its really tasking with a lot of things going on all at once.

***

During this time of uncertainty during covid my parents were working double time as essential workers.  In our home they are not able to use UI or CERB despite having to isolate 4 out of 6 months without pay.  My mom ended up catching it from me after she had her first shot. The whole family caught covid and mom ended in hospital on a ventilator.  She came home a week and half later. I used the monies this year again to help us through this pandemic. Thank you so much for the gift of the monies.  It allowed me to be able to contribute to the family and allowed my parents to recuperate with less stress of forcing themselves to work sooner than they should.

***

This bursary has helped me in more ways than you can imagine. It has helped me learn independence. Whenever we would go into stores, I’d almost always rely on my mother to pay for my items. Now that I have my own money,  I can pay for things that I want. Not only can I get what I want, I have also learnt to buy things that I need and not spend hundreds of dollars on clothes that I’ll probably wear once. I now spend money a lot more wisely because I know it’s my own money and I do not want to spend it all in one place. It’s a privilege to be rewarded for something such as determination and perseverance. I never really thought that I would be rewarded for showing such determination in my school work, but now that I have been, it pushes me more to continue being a good student. Although this year has been tough, with school being online and having some tough classes, I have not given up, and that is the power of this bursary. I could not thank you enough for all that you have done for me!

***

When I first received an email about this program, I did not think much of it and left it until the very last moment to claim the reward. I had researched about the program a bit before accepting but I still did not feel like I was qualified. When I received my first payments, it felt like I was finally able to spend some money on myself without feeling guilty about it. It was really an eye-opener about how to manage money appropriately. I try not to use the money sent because I know it should be saved for future uses so I am very careful about when I spend the money. But the most important part of this program for me was that being chosen to receive the award, it felt like I had accomplished something and felt validated. Now I can focus on my future without as much worry.

***

I would like to start off with a huge thanks for winning the 2020-2021 student achievement fund. This has helped in many ways throughout these past months with spending on groceries, buying hygiene products, and many other things. I would like to say what an honor it has been to be chosen to be able to take part in witnessing what your team does to take part in their community. I think this gesture gives a different opportunity for students to have an idea of what it's like entering the world as young adults. With bills, days to day problems, and personal upbuilding sometimes it's hard for a young student to do everything on his or her own. I think that your team should continue with the work that has been put forth to further enable students to pursue short or long-term goals individually. I think the platform that has been presented has a lot of future ideas in the construct of mental health awareness and students who may be struggling on their own could turn to something like this for support. I hope for your team to look for bigger and better ideas to grow this amazing platform for youth. I just wanted to end on a quick note and say, Thank you! so much for your time and support it has been greatly appreciated.

***

I wanted to start off by saying thank you for the opportunity that you have given me. This has helped me so much with my future and my well-being. Knowing that I have money saved up in the bank helped me with stress because I was afraid of the costs of college. I will be using all of the money for educational purposes so I will be buying my college books with it and other things that I need for my program. I got accepted at la cité collegial and the program is technique en génie mécanique. I will also need to buy protective gear for the program. I should have enough to get everything that I need. This has been a great help for me so thank you again, it helped me and my mother a lot and made our lives a little bit easier.

***

Thank you so much for the help I can’t tell you how much it helped me I was struggling with family stuff and still do. I’ve used this money to buy food. My mom’s ex hurt my family and I was never home. I didn’t work and I was in need some money to eat. This helped me out so much and things got better when my mom’s ex got sent away but we still face problems. Thank you so much for everything. Without this I don’t know where I would be. It helped me be better to myself and love myself when I didn’t. I’ll never forget who helped me and know that there are people out there helping kids in need thank you.

***

I just want to say thank you. The award helped me to realize that I have some money to start a new chapter in life. I don't have to make myself suffer to have a stepping stone for a future. Even if I get OSAP in the future, I think this money will be a huge help to start at university. When I first started receiving the award, I was very happy thinking I don't have to ask my parents for help for university. This money will be very helpful in the future and I know it for sure. Even though I was struggling a lot and I know I will in the future too, this money is probably the reason that I can believe that I won't get lost. Thank you very much for helping me with this. It means a lot to me. I hope that someday I will be able to do the same for other students who struggle. Thank you. It would be nice if I can meet you someday to say thank you.☺️

***

The money I have received from the Help Our Students Program helped me save up for my future college education. This money has motivated me to stay in school and most likely go to college in the future. If I end up not going to college or not being able to afford it in the future then I will put the money towards buying a car. I find it easier to save money compared to others, because I still live with my parents. If I were to receive this money when living alone it would probably be gone. So I am very grateful that I was chosen to receive $1000 to do whatever I wanted with. I really like that there wasn't any restrictions on who I tell about the money as well.

***

I am so thankful for what you guys have helped me do. With the money you have sent me over this past year plus my job I was about to save all of it up to go towards a car, for school or for rent when I’m out on my own. I haven’t really decided what I’m going to do with it yet but I know I want to save it for something important in the future. I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. It really has opened my eyes to opportunities that I never even thought of until now. This truly was a great help for me since I just got a job and started saving. Thank you so so much!!

***

When I received the award, I didn't know about the HOST program or what it did. This made receiving it a huge surprise that made my year. While I haven't spent any of the money yet, it's nice to have an amount for emergencies or something for myself. However, I plan to put it towards a secondary education. The award also eased my stress about being able to support myself in the future because it showed me that others could see and recognized the effort I put in. While I didn't know about the program before I received the award, I have looked into it and I would like to be able to donate towards it in the future. This award really helped me relax and be more sure of myself and I hope anyone else who receives it loves the award as much as I did.

***

The HOST program has helped me by making me able to support myself and my household when needed. With the money I was able to buy food and other household items to support myself and my family. I saved some of it too to go towards my post-secondary studies as I am trying to save as much as possible to be able to purchase furniture as well as other items once I move. It was an honour to be part of this program and I learned I am going to be renewed for next year which is an honour. It's very appreciated. Not many students get support like this and this means a lot as I can do things that make me happy and make me continue to pursue my future.

***

I am honoured to have received $1,000 funding from the Help Our School program. It has greatly helped me and my family. I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to everyone who has contributed to this program in terms of donations.

I'll be graduating this year, and I plan to study Business at university and eventually start my own business in the future. I hope to use this experience I have gained, and also the lessons I have learned to make a difference in people's lives the same way your program has made a difference in the lives of many people.

***

First of all at the beginning when I get the first payment, I use all the money for food and stuff for me and my family. That helps me a lot and I appreciate all the help that you offered to me. And again I would like to thank all of you! And honestly that shows me how I work hard that to choose me to get this award. Actually I used  the money for food and stuff. I would like to say that the money helps me to get something that I was not able to buy it. Again I would like to thank all of you that chose me to get this award.

***

Hi there thank you for supporting us and I really appreciate that.

Thank you for look up at us and helping us always.

The Host Program it doing great job for the students and we understand that you know. We all stand up for the program and the people who work with the program.

We hoping the program is going to be here for a while, so we can help many students. My host  award  was very important to me.

I used it to pay for the bills , groceries and my clothes and my other things. I spent the award for my birthday cake. It was big vanilla cake and enjoyed it. I spent money at Tim Hortons and McDonalds.

***

I would like to start off my letter by thanking this program for choosing me as a recipient. Getting this money has been a great help to me over the past few months.  When I was short on money it helped me pay for my phone bill and get formula for my little brother. It has also help me through a recent rough patch in my life when my financial situation became more important than before. Without this program this year would have been much harder.  Though not having money is something I have become used to have this extra $100 has been a big help. Even if I thought it wouldn’t be at first. I am truly appreciative of this endorsement and cannot thank you enough.

***

I am honoured to be one of the recipients of the Help Our Students Program. Thanks to your generous support, I am more assured of paying off my first year in university.

Growing up in a less privileged household meant that I had to work to obtain my goal, and since then, I've always lived by that. I started working part-time since I was 15 years old, and it helped me learn how to save my money and what I've been trying to do ever since I received this scholarship was to be able to pay off for school supplies and books in my program that I'd like to study in, in the future.

Putting my effort in school, off-campus at work and in my extra-curriculum activities paid off. This financial support has blessed me in many ways, especially giving me hope to pay off for post-secondary. Throughout every month, I realized how much I cherished receiving 100$ because when I was worried about not buying certain things, it came in handy.  

I hope to become an aerospace engineer sometime in the future, where I might have even more of an ability to help create advanced technology to help others, just as you help me. My educational pursuits would not be possible without the generous support from scholarship sponsors like your organization.  Thank you for enabling this opportunity!

***

Thank you so much to the Help our Students program. This program has helped me and my family in my journey in preparing for university. This financial aid not only helped me financially but also mentally. Knowing people are there to help and that hard work pays off is great and I will always be grateful for the people who have made this possible. The program has helped me pay for university applications and also helped me buy a new laptop since I will be going into computer science next year. Lastly, since I was lucky enough to receive this HOST Program, I have also tried my best to give back to my school community by promoting school activities and also promoting giving back to your community. Thank you again to everyone who was involved in the decision and as mentioned before, I will be forever grateful for my community and the people who helped make this happen.

***

The program has helped me a lot in many ways over the past couple months. First of all I was able to buy the last parts of the computer I've been trying to build for a couple years now. With that it made my day to day life easier with having a high end computer and giving me experience with building a computer with only the parts (which I hope to do more in the future) and was very happy to see that it worked and booted up perfectly on my first try. With the rest of the award I'm planning on saving it with the rest of my saving for college or university. It’s been very surreal winning something like this for school and makes all the work I put into it very rewarding.

***

Being chosen for this program helped me more than I thought at the beginning. One of my goals is to be independent throughout school and after. Paying for college myself has always been the plan since I live with a single father and three other siblings. Knowing I will be paying for it myself motivated me to get a part-time job at the beginning of my grade 10 school year. Every pay cheque I received, I put half into a savings account to start saving for college. Before the program, I had roughly four thousand saved up, and receiving an extra "pay cheque" each month has helped grow my savings to almost six thousand. Now I have a great start heading into my final year at school, and this gives me confidence that I will be able to attend college without so much worry about not being able to afford it. I appreciate being a part of the Help Our Students Program, and I hope that it continues to help future students. Thank you.

***

When I was given this award, I was very excited because I knew it meant I could buy new shoes which I had been needing and new clothes. As well feminine products were easier to get hold of. My dad would always struggle to give me money to go out with friends so that limited my social time with people but throughout this year, I was able to go out with my friends and not worry about not spending my money and be included during the social events. I was also able to start a small, temporary business with my best friend, we bought a bunch of fake eyelash supplies and started charging our friends in order to do their lashes. It's a very fun activity I started and it would not have been possible without this award. Thank you:)

***

Thank you, to those who gave me this incredible gift and opportunity to grow as a person. Each month receiving this help and recognition of my hard work. I appreciate the doors it opened in my life. I got the chance to give back to those I love and to get out of my comfort zone and get myself a job. This opportunity helped me to see the smile of my family and to make me want more out of life and chase my dreams to save my money to go to college and become what I am most passionate- a veterinarian technician. Thank you so much for this amazing gift in many words and kindness. I will forever be grateful and gracious for what hard work can bring and it is to this time that I am proud of myself and the achievement that brought me to this day-Mature and independent.

***

First of all thank you so much for your support, I really appreciate that. As I maybe have said before I am the oldest of seven children and the only person that works in my family is my dad so our financial condition is not good, and so what I have decided to do with award is help my family with it by buying groceries once a month even if the amount is not that big but it helped so thank you so much. Receiving this award also made me feel that there are people that care about me and that made me so happy. Finally I want to say that right now I am willing to continue studying and go to college. Thank you is not enough. I really appreciate that.

***

The HOST program has helped me save up more money for college. With moving out on my own and the 9,000$ per semester for school, the price tag adds up. My family doesn’t have the money to help me with school or rent so I’ve been working between 30-40 hours a week for a few years to save up. At this point I have enough money saved up to pay for it but it’ll be tight. I considered taking a gap year to be able to live more comfortably but the HOST program money helped me make the decision not to. I didn’t want the money to go to waste and I’m confident enough that if I get another job where I’m moving I won’t need to work too many hours a week to be able to enjoy my time in college. The money from the HOST program will help me pay for a month of rent, thus relieving a bit of financial strain while I find a job. This will allow me to put the money I have saved up towards paying for school. Thank you, HOST program.

***

I used this award as my university savings because my parents provides the basic needs. This award helped me to save for my university textbooks which by the way is a great achievement. As a science student textbooks are very expensive and so this means a lot since I have assistance. It helped me to not worry about fees because I would constantly ask myself how I will pay for my courses and all other utilities. It also help me to be proud of my hard work of achievements which I thought was not acknowledged. It made me change the way I see myself because I was facing academic difficulties. Dealing with academic problems had me doubt my career paths. Therefore, the thought of being the chosen one over one thousand students made my self-esteem go high. It also increased my interests and determination towards my goal of becoming a nurse. I can’t express my gratefulness enough but may God bless you.

***

I think I can say for a fact that 2020-2021 has been an interesting and new experience for a lot of people. I’ve had to face a lot of tough situations in the span of a year and it has helped me grow as a person. When I first started the school year in September of 2020 I was very stressed out because I know that as a graduate I will most likely have a lot of things I need to do that would require money and at the time my parents were not working due to covid so that put me and my family in a very tough situation. The year gradually proceeded and although we were still coping there were some things that I was not able to do due to our financial situation. When I heard about this opportunity that the “Help our Students” program was giving me I was very happy to say the least. With the money I got I was able to do a lot of things pertaining to my graduation. Although I have saved a lot of the money I still used some of it to help the family as much as I can, buy some grad clothing, and pay for other necessities. This program has been a blessing to me and I hope it can continue to help others that are in need of it. I am very thankful that I was able to be one of the many people that were impacted positively by this program. I hope in the future there can be a way the people that are fortunate to receive the money can give back to others either through fundraisers, community work, etc.

***

As a reward recipient of the Help Our Student Program, I am happy to say that the award has made my life feel a bit more relaxed and less stressful and has given me a better outlook on my future, during my last year in High School. I have put aside half of the award money every month to help with my upcoming expenses for College next year and this has put less of a strain on my family this year. My intention was to get a part time job during this year (my last year in high school) but with the current COVID-19 situation, there are now fewer jobs available and I was not able to get a part time job as I was hoping to get. I was able to compensate the income that I was not making because of no job, with the HOST program award that I received. This award really helped me during the school year.

***

The Host Program has helped out not just me but my family a lot especially when everyone is dealing with COVID and there aren’t as many jobs right now. Thanks to the host program I’ve been able to help my mother out and my two little sisters when we need to get food for the family. Every month I feel at ease knowing that the host program is helping me focus more on school work than at home problems because I won’t have to deal with not having food at home as much meaning I can focus more on school work. It has also helped me mentally because I would always stress when I went to school because sometimes there wouldn’t be stuff at home and for me not eating isn’t that big of a problem but when my family isn’t that’s when it affects me and gains most of my attention but the program saves me from going into my mental slump at times and helps me focus.

***

Among many students, I was fortunate enough to be selected to receive an award from Help Our Students Program. This award motivated me to study more and encouraged me to continue working hard to pursue my academic goals. University can be expensive, and that is why I decided to save some of the money that I received so I can buy textbooks or pay for my University’s application. As an immigrant, my dream has always been to go to university and study what I am passionate about. So, this money impacted my journey because now I have some savings, which will help me a lot in applying for universities and buying the supplies that I need. Furthermore, this award helped me to focus more on my studies and become a better student because it gave my family and I hope for a better future, and more importantly, it recognized my hard work during the school year, which made me proud of what I have achieved. Moreover, learning to give to others whenever possible is another lesson that this award has taught me because now I realize that helping others to pursue their dreams is crucial. In addition, this experience taught me to manage my expenses and prioritize, which is a very important lesson that this award has helped me to understand. In conclusion, the Host Program award has impacted my life greatly, and I will never forget this award that changed my life for the better.

***

Thank you so much for helping me. I won't forget what you did for my life and I appreciate you. Thank you Help Our Students Program. I used what you gave me for good things. For example, I used it for school stuff and bought a phone and I used it for food when I was at school and I used it for many things and still I save in my bank for next school. Really, Help Our Students program knows who is in need of help. I am very happy you did for me. My family was very happy. They said we didn't see others like Help Our Students Program awesome job. I think they didn't know help like this. I learned when I get a job to help others. May God bless HOST.

***

Dear Host program I wanted to share a few ways that this program has helped, charged my life for the best and made my life easier. The Host program has helped me in so many ways some examples being with weekly groceries which was something that I struggled with but was too embarrassed to ask for help. My second being getting my wisdom tooth removed. I didn’t realize how expensive it was but I’m glad the host program was able to cover somewhat of the expense. My last example is just being able to buy small things that make my day better and a little more fun. All in all I just want to say thank you so much for selecting to help me. I can’t thank you enough.

***

I’ve been honoured to rejoin the HOST and it’s helped me in many ways. The first time I got enrolled I was learning how to save the money, I had a little difficultly in the beginning but in the end I was able to control my spending, so this year I was granted an opportunity to rejoin and continue receiving the money, that chance helped me actually manage my money to sort myself for my future. I can now properly save for my own vehicle and manage my money in other ways. It was an amazing opportunity to have this chance. I will be taking a year off of school for personal health due to the pandemic, when college time does return for me I am thankful for the skills I’ve learned from this program. Thank you

***

I want to thank you for the monthly payments that you have generously been putting into my account for this past school year.

I am wanting to save up this money for the future, rather than spending it all right now. I think that is a wise choice. I want to put it, as well as the earnings I've saved from my job at Harvey's, in a compound savings account.

Next year I am taking another year of high school, and I think that after this school year that I may go into marketing. Even more so, I'd like to be an author. A children's author perhaps.

I don't have everything figured out right yet. I do know, though, that these payments that I've received from you, that I appreciate them greatly. I want to put it to good use for my future house, education, car, anything like that. I want to take good care of this gift that you've given me.

***

Thank you so much for this opportunity. It was very exciting.

Over the past year I’ve been able to treat myself to some things I normally wouldn’t. I redecorated my room with new posters, tapestries, new bedding. I went shopping for some new clothes. I love to go thrifting. One thing I was very excited to get was new art stuff. Water colours, sketch pads and pencils.

I also helped pay for half the cost of a new phone, that was an amazing feeling.

I used some money to buy drinks and snacks over the past year and lunches sometimes.

Thank you for giving me a chance to be a part of this cool program. I hope you have an amazing Summer.

***

Thank you so much for the HOST Program. This year was a hard year with the Pandemic and having to do all the school work online.

One of the difficulties that came up this year was that a lot of the courses I chose were not given to me and I had to take on courses that I was not prepared for.

For the two comm tech courses, YES TWO, that I did choose, my computer was not strong enough to do the work, so my uncle bought me a laptop that could do the graphics and video editing. I agreed to pay him back over time so each month from the Program I sent him $75.00 towards the computer.

Now I have a computer that is going to be great going forward, thanks to my uncle paying half and me being able to pay him out of the grant that you guys gave me.

You never know how much I appreciate it. I now have a new love for graphics cause it has a touch screen. I think the program was great. To be honest, I think you should add a document that gets updated with how the money is spent so you guys can see how much of a difference you are making.

***

First things first I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for choosing me to be a part of this program. It has helped me and my family greatly.  There were times at the beginning of the month where income in my household would be very low, so having that extra hundred dollar boost to help go towards things like groceries, and paying for laundry to be done.  Of course I would get myself a little treat like Tim Horton’s now and then.  But the money also reminded me that no matter what is happening in my life, I've accomplished many good things and I have gained achievements and opportunities like this because of my hard work.  I really do appreciate everything you've done over the last months for me, it has helped tremendously and I will always remember what you did for me.  Once again I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

***

Hey there, if anyone reads this I want to let them know that this reward program greatly impacts the lives of the recipients and helps out greatly with monthly expenses or with saving for post-secondary education. I have used this to help my parents pay for bills and such through this pandemic and I have saved a bit of it towards my college tuition. It has also helped me de-stress about the thought of paying for my college because every bit helps and this has helped quite a bit with not only my future but has helped me with the current part of my life. This program is a great thing for students just like me going through hard parts of their lives at home or just in general to help. It has helped me a lot and I know it helps others too. Thank you host rewards program for giving me the opportunity to receive this and I think you are doing something amazing and I hope you keep up with this program! Thank you a lot. It has helped so much with day to day and monthly expenses!

***

When I got this award, I used the money to buy food for my family. When my brother or my father wanted money from me, I give it to them. I sometimes used the money to help pay the cell phone prepaid data. Whenever I needed technology or supplies during the lockdown, I buy a Amazon gift card and use it to buy what I need. Whenever I'm low on change for the bus, I go to the ATM and withdraw money and spend on food so I can get change. I often buy games on my gaming consoles.
Thank you for this opportunity. The monthly payment helped me and my family to have a better quality of life.

***

The scholarship helped me feel like I was actually being rewarded for my efforts in school, and gave me a bit of confidence that I might just be able to succeed and do something more with my future. Although the scholarship wasn't really used for daily expenses, I will definitely be using it to pay for college and other expenses, in which getting this scholarship also helped me make the decision to go to college rather than just going straight into the workforce. This scholarship also helped me open up my eyes to the potential of looking into other scholarships, as it gave me the confidence to think that if I can do well enough to qualify for one scholarship, why not others?

***

This past school year I have been the recipient of the HOST program award. Receiving this benefit has allowed me to accomplish many things that would've been very difficult to accomplish otherwise.  I’ve finally started on the path to becoming a fully licensed driver, I’ve been able to afford clothes in order to start working a summer job, and I was able to afford the food necessary to accommodate my many food allergies.

The financial support provided by the Host Program award has helped me in a significant way. It allowed me to become a fully functional adult while living in a very expensive city and kept me motivated to continue my schooling in order to be able to afford living without relying on welfare and benefits.

Thank you very much for the help you have provided me with.

***

Thank you for this year’s reward! It was really what I needed. What I wished I had learned in the beginning of the year was how to manage money and how to use it wisely because some months I would have wasted all the money. This reward definitely took stress off of me, it allowed me to focus much more on school and it didn't really change anything with my colleges and friends around me. I really appreciate what you guys do. It’s honestly amazing that you guys are able to help students. I thank you for thinking of me. I was surprised when you chose me as a candidate, I never thought I was qualified. All in all I appreciate your help and many thanks to your team. It really helped me realize things and share with others around me which made me proud! Thank You So Much!

***

I can’t thank you enough and explain how much this program has helped me and my family. The little extra money goes a long way. I’ve been able to save an extra thousand dollars which makes expenses for college a little bit easier. I haven’t spent any of the money yet but it’s given me some wiggle room to spend a little more on my insurance and food and clothes for myself. I paid for my first semester of college within the past week and it has definitely helped by easing my mind with the left over cash in my bank account and that was all because of this program. I’ve been saving up money for college for the past 2 years and with my insurance and all the needs that come along with being a teenager like clothes and food like I said earlier takes a toll on the bank account. I wanted to write this letter to let you know how much this program has helped me and my mom afford for me to go to college. Thank you again.

***

The financial assistance I have gotten from this program has helped me a good amount. 

I remembered when I was told that I had been chosen to be a part of this program and what it is. I thought it was not real, some sort of prank, but after a minute, I felt extremely honored. This program has reduced my stress and helped me to stay focused on  school and my education. I have used a tiny bit of it for daily use such as treating myself to snacks. The rest of it has went into a savings account. This gives me hope for the future as I want to own a drum kit one day. Owning a drum kit has been a long-standing dream of mine and it's the only instrument I am truly passionate about. Knowing I have money in a savings account to one day buy a drum kit gives me hope for the future.

I am very grateful to the Help Our Students Program.

***

The award helped me a lot with getting ready to pay for post-secondary education. I have worked so hard during my 4 years of high school and I couldn’t believe that I won an award for my hard work. It was very exciting news to receive an award like this one. My plan is to use the money to pay for the books and equipment that I need for the electrical engineering program. Therefore, thank you so much for this award and I cannot wait to move onto post-secondary and continue to work hard just like I did for the 4 years of high school to earn my dream career. Thank you once again and God bless you and your family.

***

I am truly grateful for being offered this help throughout my last year in high school. I am a very  motivated person who works hard for what I want. This grant has helped me minimize the number of hours I would work to then put more focus on school work and spending my last year with friends. I have decided to take a year off to work full time to save money for college. I am looking forward to putting this extra money towards my schooling. I am once again so thankful to be given this offer. This offer managed to reduce my stress through high school and made me realize how much I was really working. I was able to give myself a break and it felt amazing.

***

I wanted to thank you so much to the host program and the people involved because this program has helped me so much. I have been able to pay for my phone, new clothes and get school supplies. The money could not have come at a better time. This program has really helped me reach my full potential. I did things I never thought would be possible that I have done. I am really happy with what I have been able to accomplish and forever grateful and thankful for the opportunity to even be considered for this program. My amazing guidance counsellor is always ready and willing to help me when I need and ask for the help. Thank you such an amazing and kind human being.

***

This award has meant a lot not only to me but to my family as well. After hearing the news, my family was so proud to have heard of my accomplishment and were proud of how far we had come from not having much the last year to getting an amazing award such as this one. It was an honour to have received this award because of where me and my family had come from. We had only been living in this home for a year and before that, we were staying in a shelter. It was very demoralizing to have to live in those type of circumstances but to know I was accepted to get the award was very gratifying and almost emotional. My parents had always told me that life wasn't easy but no matter what happens they instilled in me to never give up and work hard no matter what the situation is.

***

I used the money I received from help our students to help me live day to day. I was able to get food for my mom and help support my household. I won't forget this program and I feel like it's an amazing generous gesture. It is helping me prepare for the future as I gain independence and learn how to properly use money. It was also great to know on the first of every month I had a little something to look forward to. It also helped me with any expenses I had when it came to school like my presto when I lost it, my pencils and my calculator. Having money on hand helped whenever I needed things like soap or any other household items and I am so thankful.

***

First off, I would like to thank you for this amazing blessing that I have received. Though I don’t have struggles or problems surrounding money in my home I was blessed with such an amazing gift of 100 dollars a month which I decided to save for my college funds, as my mom is a single mom and there are 3 of us. This money will help me to enrol in college and pursue my dream of being a hairdresser. It also helped me to push through and keep my grades up through this hard time of COVID.  I am currently looking for a part time job and hope to have one by the end of this year, this award also has helped teach me good spending habits and where and when things are needed vs not needed. 

***

The first thing is that I would like to thank Richard Lussier and the Help Our Students Program for picking me to participate in the program. I would also like to thank the staff at my High School for recommending me for this Program.

The Award impacted my life by teaching me three lessons: Patience, (I let the money build up in the bank account without touching it) Peace at Mind, (Knowing that I was building up the principal amount) and The Knowledge of Banking. (I've learnt how to setup a bank account and learned about my responsibilities on how to use the account.)

I've become interested in stop motion animation that I've learned in High School. And I plan on purchasing my own computer with the money from this program just to further develop this craft.

This is what I've learnt and planned with this HOST Program Award, and I would like to thank everyone who've helped and encouraged me in this journey in school and within this program.

***

The grant money that I received this year has been used to start a savings fund for my 2-year old son. This money has really helped me because since he has born, I have wanted to start a savings fund for him. The savings fund will give him a head start in life and be able to give him the opportunities that I feel I have missed. I hope the money will help him in the future so that he doesn't have to struggle with money or miss opportunities that may need money. Having this extra money to save for my son has been a blessing because if I didn't have this grant, I wouldn't be able to do this for my son. Saving this money now means it can grow and accumulate interest so that he can make the most of the money in the future.

***

The money helped me quite a lot because for one I got to get the pc I've always wanted and that was also helpful with school since it made it lots easier for me. I don't know if this is too short since this is a very large sheet to type out how this all helped me with everything but I can tell you that it was very helpful and I greatly appreciate it whoever is the one reading this I don't know who sees this. Yet again thank you very much this is an amazing program you guys have set up and helps students much more then you might expect.

***

I would gladly thank you for this great program. It is mentally and morally pleasuring to be awarded something like this award. My survey might be a bit weird and different from other students, since I didn't check off the higher numbers of the boxes that represent how much the money has benefited me. This is because I didn't spend the money on multiple things. What I did is that I spent it on only two valuable things. They are the TV and PS4. I had the money before to buy them, but for sure there was a priority for things to buy or at least save the money for later. But since I got this money, I decided to wait for the Black Friday and take advantage of the discounts and buy the TV and the PS4. And I did. Since then, me and my brother that I live with, enjoyed spending more time together watching movies or playing Fifa every night. While before, we just used to be on our phones with literally no communication. So thanks you so much.

***

Thank you so much for the award it’s really helped me a lot. After high school I will be going to College and I’m thinking about taking finance or economic, I’m not sure yet maybe I will change or not. I used some of my money for personal need. I also saved some money for my college tuition. The money I have saved will help me to buy some school supplies like a laptop and anything that I need for school. I really appreciate you giving me the award. My parents were really happy and proud of me. I keep on working hard every day. Thank you so much. Have a great day.

***

Thank you for this program, which helped me throughout my 12th grade and also in preparation for university.

This scholarship greatly helped me to get what I needed for school. I could also prepare myself for university with a proper study desk, and this enabled me to work more easily and efficiently, which helps me even now since I study from home.

Not only that, throughout the year I could buy essentials such as headphones, notebooks and other amenities, as COVID struck even harder this year. I could even help my siblings with what they needed.

Finally, It allowed me to not be worried about finances, which removed a big deal of stress. This gift was an outstanding encouragement for me to focus on school and work my best.

***

When I first was told that I had won a prize I was wondering what it could be and that it was just something for the holidays but when I was told that I would be receiving money, I was shocked and I was wondering why me though, what did I do to earn this. I was told that the money is for me to do what I want with and I was grateful that I could buy the things I needed and wanted like a new phone but I am a doubter when it comes to getting things for myself, ( which I need to work on ) but even with the money being for me, I wanted to help my mom but she was stubborn and said she wouldn't accept it and I didn't get a new phone but I got myself 2 things, headphones and a hoodie but I got food for my sister even though she says I won't get her anything but I have. I got her a Christmas present and food. I got things for her even if it was just food or small things, but the money wasn't really for me if that makes sense. I didn't spend it on myself. I spent it on others. I wasn't going to keep it to myself but now I wish I would have said no if someone asked me so I could have gotten what I had liked. The HOST Program Award has given me a glimpse of what is in the real world. I would love to say thank-you to everyone at HOST Program that gave me this opportunity and I hope all of you and your families are safe during these times.

***

I will be the first to admit, at the time as I’m writing this letter, the HOST Program award has not had the biggest impact on my life just yet. So far I’ve just been saving the money for university—the only exception is spending it on a new laptop for school purposes after my old one broke. Though given how expensive university can be and my current financial situation at home, every cent I get that I can just put away and save is always a welcome!

Surprisingly, I would say the program has had a more indirect impact on my life than a direct one. It helped give me my first taste of financial independence as well as allowing me to gain a much more profound understanding of banking and handling finances. I had to actually open my own bank account, learn how to transfer money, and even learnt how to use an ATM all on my own at that! These were all skills that I just had very little knowledge on how to do beforehand so I appreciate an opportunity that encouraged me to learn them. 

***

I want to thank you once again for choosing me for this award and helping me with my financial needs. Although I didn't use the award for my daily needs, it will definitely help me with paying for the post-secondary expenses. Knowing that this award was in the background of my daily life, I was able to take some stress off my shoulders. If it weren't for this award, I would most likely have a hard time paying for the expenses of my first year of university. This award has been especially important to me due to the financial trouble I had gotten myself in at the ending of last year. I was able to get back on my feet knowing that everything would be ok and there was help around the corner. Although our society is different from our norm, it was a great time I've had, and this award has definitely been a factor in that. I hope this program is able to support other students like myself for more years to come.

***

This program has helped me and my family in my journey in preparing for university. This financial aid not only helped me financially but also mentally. Knowing people are there to help and that hard work pays off is great and I will always be grateful for the people who have made this possible. The program has helped me pay for university applications and also helped me buy a new laptop since I will be going into computer science next year. Lastly, since I was lucky enough to receive this HOST Program, I have also tried my best to give back to my school community by promoting school activities and also promoting giving back to your community. Thank you again to everyone who was involved in the decision and as mentioned before, I will be forever grateful for my community and the people who helped make this happen.

***

You can use the Host program to buy essential items that you need for school or for your daily life items.  It helped me too learn how to control my money put it in my savings. It taught about a savings account. A savings account pays your interest in exchange depositing money and maintaining your balance in the account. I'm really grateful about the chance the program gives me and because of that in the future, I will be more responsible in the future with my money and learn how to maintain it.

The HOST Program award helped me a lot this year from new clothes to buying food. I didn't have to worry about the money this year. I could concentrate on my other objectives like school. It was also a big help for me and my family just knowing that 100 dollars was coming every month.  To anyone to get this chance like I did I promise this a game changer. It was really helpful and I know you’re going to be as grateful as I was and happy to be in this great program.

***

The HOST program gave me the opportunity to purchase my own clothes and food for the school year, coming from a tight income family meant a lot to me and I'm more than appreciative that I was given this opportunity.

The pandemic was especially hard this year as both parents had been laid off in the early months (when covid lock down was at its peak), so having the income helped me provide for my siblings as well when they wanted or needed certain snacks, meals etc. for their own school needs.

I want to thank those from the bottom of my heart, this program is really helpful, for not only me, but for other students as well.

(Now both parents are employed so there is no concern there, and the family is doing much better as well as myself. I actually have a summer job coming up!