A non-profit in Nanaimo hopes a fundraising walk this weekend leads people to think differently about those without adequate shelter.
Island Crisis Care Society's Coldest Night of the Year walk takes place Saturday, Feb. 22, starting at St. Andrew's United Church on Fitzwilliam Street.
This year's theme is 'change the tune on homelessness,' and Jennifer Short, Island Crisis Care resource development manager, said the concept really resounded with the society, especially with the issues around homelessness in Nanaimo and the number of people needing support.
"I think what really surprises people is why people are where they're at right now, with the cost of living, with so many other factors," said Short. "It could be a financial issue. They may have been removed out of their apartment, and then that whole [renoviction] concept … you don't know why they got to where they are. You don't know a person's story, and you can't judge why they are where they are."
As of last week, fundraising was almost halfway to its $125,000 goal. Money raised will stay in Nanaimo, funding the society's community-based programs such as life skills and job readiness, as well as going outreach and rent subsidies.
"It goes to helping our clients go beyond just surviving," Short said. "Our life skills [program] is our biggest push of that. We are able to go on site and do literacy workshops, healthy eating, personal hygiene."
Coldest Night of the Year participants can choose a two-kilometre or five-kilometre route and the hope is that they get a sense of what people experiencing homelessness feel.
"What's really important for us is that people experience downtown for good or for bad, because Nanaimo being as long as it is, we do have a lot of residents that don't come downtown as often," Short said. "It just gives that chance to experience where a lot of people may be who are experiencing some trouble, but also see that it's maybe not … as scary as they thought it might be."
Children who raise at least $75 and adults who raise $150 or more will receive a souvenir tuque. Vegetarian chili and other snacks will be served to participants who have completed their walk. Sign-in begins 4 p.m. on Feb. 22, the walk begins 5 p.m. and the event wraps up at 7 p.m.
For more information about the Coldest Night of the Year walk, visit http://cnoy.org/location/nanaimo and for more about the society, visit www.islandcrisiscaresociety.ca.
