Youth For Christ Steinbach had a record haul at their annual fundraising banquet Thursday night.

Executive Director Rueben Singh says they pulled in over $42,000, a handsome figure that is both encouraging and inspiring.

“We’ve been in our community for 31 years now and the fact that the community continues to support us like this is mind-blowing. It shows us that, as we continue to dream big, the support will be there.”

Singh says all money made will be going directly into their Impact Fund.

“Our Impact Fund does exactly what it sounds like, it impacts our community by allowing our staff to have upward conversations with our youth.”

Singh says the art of discussion is at the crux of what he and his fellow Backstage staff members do on a daily basis: transformation through conversation. He unpacked this idea during his presentation at the banquet.

“One of the things I talked about is what our community would look like without our dedicated staff and volunteers,” he reiterates, “we focus on a group of young people that a lot of people don’t want to, don’t know how to, or have already written off. Without our staff, those lives would not be changed.”

To further illustrate that point, two Backstage youth shared their redeemed stories of addiction, hardship, and family struggles.

“Through building relationships with staff, they were able to build trust again, gain confidence in themselves, and both of them, ultimately, have given their life to Jesus as well,” offers Singh.

Around 360 supporters showed up to Thursday’s event. Singh says it is impressive to see the sustained importance the City of Steinbach seems to put on caring for its troubled young people.

Also announced during the evening was a national rebranding of YFC. Singh says their revised vision is "to see every young person living fully in Christ" and the accompanying logo is a conversation bubble with an upward arrow. These will be woven into Backstage's operations throughout the coming year.