Friesens Corporation in Altona is excited for YFC Altona - The Station to utilize one of its buildings on 6th Street and becoming a long-term tenant.

A partnership between Friesens and YFC Altona will see the youth drop-in centre move into a facility with 5 times more space than its current location.

Chad Friesen, CEO of Friesens Corporation says they have wanted to partner with YFC for a number of years already, and this year, the timing happened to be right. Friesen says local businesses, such as Friesens Corporation, like hiring some of the same skill sets that are developed through exposure to a Maker Space innovation lab. He adds there are lot of good fundamentals within the program supporting youth, and as a community, it's important to get behind the initiative.

"We talked at length about how could business support YFC Altona in developing greater program for YFC, as well that add on Maker Space piece. And it just so happened that over that period of time, we had some excess space that we could make available in one of our buildings that was really well located and had a lot of the right bones, or structure to support an expansion."

Friesen points out this is not just a Friesens Corporation project, nor is it just a YFC project, it is a community project. He says he looks forward to individuals and businesses step up and support this dream.

"It's an ambitious plan. Adding five times the space to YFC comes with the need for increased programming, increased staffing, and all of the renovations...we know that there will be a fundraising effort that's going to be underway."

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