Vancouver resident Evelyn Florendo is preparing for a major milestone next week. Dec. 13 marks the 30th annual Christmas dinner for teens in Burnaby's youth prison.
"I have done enough, but really, I cannot refuse them. The kids will be so lonely, they will miss me," she told the NOW. "They become my children."
Florendo, a widower, mother of four and a devout Catholic, started organizing the dinners three decades ago after she read a newspaper article on how incarcerated youth in Burnaby were committing suicide and cutting themselves.
Florendo contacted authorities saying she would like to do something for the children. The first Christmas dinner was in 1984. Since then, Florendo has organized a small army of volunteers to prepare and serve the annual meal. She also invites prominent guests, such as the Archbishop of Vancouver, former politicians and sports figures, who sit at the tables with the kids. The dinner also includes guest speakers and entertainment, often put on by the incarcerated youth, and at the end the meal, Florendo gives each teen a gift bag and a hug and says, "I love you."
Some of the teens don't have visitors for the holidays because their families are either too far away or simply disconnected.
The Burnaby Youth Custody and Services Centre is located in an industrial area of south Burnaby, close to the Vancouver border and the Fraser River. The centre houses youth aged 12 to 17 from across the province.
