In 1973, Teresita Escandor immigrated to Canada from the Philippines. Her parents visited a few times before formally joining her in Toronto in 1980.
Teresita became her parents’ primary caregiver until they passed away in the 2000’s, both over 100 years old.
After her father’s death, Teresita was tasked with sorting through his belongings. He kept journals detailing his day-to-day activities, and while she was flipping through them, she noticed a record of a donation to Covenant House.
She hadn’t known that her father had been a Covenant House donor, but it made sense. He and her mother had been teachers in the Philippines – him in his early career and her mother for decades teaching 5th grade. They both felt a strong affinity for the well-being of young people.
To honour her father’s commitment, Teresita started making her own donations to Covenant House.
Her father taught her a lot: “He was a loving man,” she says, “He showed me how to be fearless.”
The commitment of donors like Teresita is so important for the young people at Covenant House, many of whom haven’t had reliable adults in their lives. Her generosity provides youth at Covenant House with a community where they are loved and respected and have opportunities to learn and grow.
On behalf of the resilient, amazing young people we serve, all of us at Covenant House extend our warmest thanks.