Walking a mile — or two — in the shoes of the young and homeless
Annual walk in frigid weather raises $45K for housing and other services
Alone, cold, and with few places to turn for a hot meal or a bed — it's a scenario that hundreds of young people facing poverty, abuse and trauma in Newfoundland and Labrador encounter each year.
On Saturday, more than 300 volunteers dipped their toes in that reality at the Coldest Night of the Year charity walk, which raised $45,000 for youth shelters and support programs this year.
"It gives you just a hint of what it's like to be outside walking in the cold, to know what it's like to be hungry and homeless and hurting," said Miranda Antle, fundraising officer for Choices for Youth, which spearheaded the St. John's arm of the national campaign.
The walk has raised over $130,000 over six years, money that goes to supporting housing, health and employment programs across the province.
Antle said the number of volunteers swelled this year. "We just spread the word through social media," she said. "So basically the promotion just takes care of itself. People come out for a good cause."
Some walkers split up into teams with matching attire, but most donned blue tuques in solidarity with the awareness-raising effort, filling up downtown sidewalks Saturday afternoon as temperatures felt like –20 with wind chill.
The route snaked three kilometres around downtown St. John's, ending at the outreach centre, where homeless teens and young adults receive meals and emergency shelter.
Antle said the number of youth the organization helps each year is growing.
On average, about 1,500 young people access Choices for Youth services, from addictions and harm reduction counseling to recreational programs, she said.