'Coldest Night of the Year' walk takes steps to help Sudbury, northern Ontario homeless
"This is really, really vital to what we do," says Samaritan Centre Executive Director of national fundraiser
A national fundraiser to help Canada's poor and homeless is coming to northeastern Ontario and the hope is that you'll bundle up for a walk, too.
On Feb. 20, the "Coldest Night of the Year"will seepeople in 80 cities across the country zip-up and head out simultaneously to raise awareness of and money for local poverty relief groups.
Kevin Serviss,Executive Director of theSamaritan Centre in Sudbury, said the pledge walk is "really, really vital to what we do."
"In the past three years, we've had really good success from schools and churches who've sent teams of walkers," he said, noting that the effort has raised as much as $50,000 ina year.
InSudbury, the money goes to supporting the Blue Door Soup Kitchen, the Elgin Street Mission and the Corner Clinic all services within the Samaritan Centre.
In Sault Ste. Marie, St. Vincent Placewill receive proceeds from the walk. It operates amen's shelter,soup kitchen, food bank and thrift store.
In North Bay, the fundraiser helps the Gathering Place, serving meals to people in need.
Teams can sign up to collect pledges, and thenwalk a 2 km,5 km or 10 km route.
Listen to the complete interview with Kevin Serviss here.
HUGE Thank you to @MorningNorth + @cbcmarkus for the great interview on #CNOY. Register for the Sudbury walk here https://t.co/E9npXK28Ii
—@coldest_night
According to the fundraiser's website, one of the goals of the campaign is also to encourage people to"feela hint of the challengefaced by those experiencing homelessness particularly during the winter."