After 16 years of making do, a local agency that helps Winnipeg's street youth is moving into a bigger, better new home.

Resource Assistance for Youth, Inc. is a community-based organization that serves young people up to the age of 29 - offering everything from emergency food and clean clothes to addictions support and housing programs to hugs and a safe space to hang out in.

Since opening in 1994, RaY has been operating out of 195 Young St., a 1,300-sq.-ft space on the first floor of an apartment complex. (Formerly known as Operation Go Home, it rebranded itself as RaY in 2003 when it merged with Powerhouse, an organization with a similar mandate.) Employing a non-judgmental, harm-reduction approach, its mission is to "provide youth with what they need, on their terms, to better their lives."

But living up to that statement has sometimes been difficult due to factors beyond the agency's control says Kelly Holmes, RaY's executive director since 2002.

An average day sees anywhere from 30 to 75 clients pass through the door - some with dogs or babies in tow. Add 18 staff members plus a food bank and a clothing depot, and the already-cramped space is bursting at the seams more often than not.

"I've got rottweilers next to infants," Holmes says.

Still, restricting access to those with pets - a position adopted by most front-line agencies in Winnipeg, including emergency shelters - is simply not an option for RaY, she says.

"When you're sleeping outside, if you're leaning next to a dog, that's your heat for the night. The dog is also your protection, it's your other set of ears and eyes, it's a deterrent for exploiters, and it's your best friend when the whole rest of the world's forgotten you... And I'm going to tell that kid to get rid of that dog?"

Other bureaucratic requirements, while well-meaning, have also created frustrations.

"We couldn't feed the kids out of there because we didn't meet proper code," Holmes says, referring to a food program that was shut down soon after it launched. "I turn off my stove and where do my kids go? Out my back to eat out of a dumpster."

Something had to change. In January of 2008, RaY launched a capital fundraising campaign. It took just under a year to raise $1.4 million - the provincial government and the city contributed a total of $116,000, Holmes says, while corporate sponsors and private donors (local band The Weakerthans is one of several high-profile supporters) came through with the rest.

The money was used to purchase and extensively renovate 125 Sherbrook St., the former home of the Manitoba Medical Association. The revamp is now complete and Holmes expects the RaY team to be completely moved in by the end of February. An official grand-opening celebration is planned for March.

The new, two-level location occupies 8,000 square feet and boasts a fully equipped, commercial-grade kitchen, much-needed shower and laundry facilities, an on-site health clinic and office space for an in-house lawyer (Holmes is currently accepting applications for the position).

RaY is keeping its old location, which will be turned into a free store that will provide small appliances, bedding, dishes and other household items to young people trying to exit group homes or get away from the streets.

The change is a big one for all involved and many of the details are still being sorted out.

"We're used to being on top of each other, so we have to figure out a way to communicate," Holmes says.

"I'm used to hollering around the office. Now it's like, 'Where the hell is everyone?'"

Having spent 32 years working with marginalized youth (in RaY's debut newsletter, she calls herself a "wolf mother to thousands of strays"), Holmes is visibly excited by the new digs - and not only because she can finally provide "her kids" with the services they've been asking for.

RaY's new home is more than just a building; it's an example of what can happen when a group of resourceful people pushes through challenges and refuses to give up.

"A lot has changed, and going through ups and downs and all arounds has really strengthened us," Holmes says.

"You learn as you go - and the kids drive everything. I don't even think they realize how important they are. They've taught us resiliency."