(Rachel Lessard, Events and Community Engagement Specialist at Youth Services Ottawa, and Drew Corbin who organized the fundraiser, brought an afternoon of music to Brew Revolution on June 8, 2025. Photos: Stittsville Central.)
The garage door was open at Brew Revolution on June 8th to accommodate the many who came out to support the Youth Services Ottawa (YSO). A fundraiser supporting the youth mental health services provided by YSO was organized by Drew Corbin. Residents and visitors to Stittsville came out to sit on the patio to hear the music of the five locals bands who were performing – Peyton McNamara, All things Drew, Leo Maiorino, Aim to Please, and The Average Joes.
Greg McPherson who completed walking all the municipal wards in Ottawa the previous weekend in support of the YSO dropped in with his son Kaelen to take in the afternoon.
The event was also live-streamed by iSiLIVE for those who could not attend. Jeff Robinson could be found in the sound booth managing the show and sound feeds for the afternoon. Jeff shared with Stittsville Central, “YSO is a great organization and Bengt (Neathery) and I are proud to support their efforts and the kids. I hosted “Stay Up Ottawa” a few years ago. iSiLive has also helped with other smaller events.”
Stittsville Central staff asked Drew for his reason to support youth and mental health. He shared that, “mental health issues in young people are rising. Anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicide rates have climbed significantly, especially post-pandemic. Many kids and teens don’t have access to the support they need. Raising funds helps support early intervention programs, therapy, peer support networks, and crisis lines and these resources literally save lives and change long-term outcomes. When you organize a fundraiser, you’re also raising awareness. So this helps normalize the conversation about mental health for youth, letting them know they’re not alone and that it’s okay to ask for help. Many families can’t afford private therapy or support services. Fundraising helps level the playing field, giving more youth access to care regardless of their financial situation.”
Drew also shared the importance of supporting Youth Services Ottawa. “The YSB is about inclusion, dignity, and giving young people a real chance to succeed which are values that I believe in and want to actively support. They have a long history of impact right here in our community. I know that funds raised will go directly to helping local youth and not to overhead or bureaucracy. The YSB doesn’t wait for youth to come to them. Instead, they go out into the community, into schools, and onto the streets to make sure no young person is overlooked. From mental health counseling to 24/7 crisis services, youth housing, and employment support, YSB takes a holistic approach to youth well-being something that’s rare, and essential. They are an amazing organization filled with some amazing people making huge differences in our community making it an easy decision to throw my support their way.”
It was a great afternoon of music for a good cause. Should you wish, donations can be made online at https://www.ysb.ca/mental-health-musical-benefit/ to support the work that YSO does for youth.