Sudbury·Audio

'Under My Umbrella' campaign aims to help folks in Sudbury out of the rain

A trip to a coffee shop in Sudbury opened the eyes and hearts of the Coulas family in Sudbury — and they're now trying to open cheerful yellow umbrellas over people in need.
L-R: Melody, Holly and Brandon Coulas. Brandon, 13, said of his experience helping people in need: "We can do something about it. We can change the world." (Roger Corriveau/CBC)

A trip to a coffee shop in Sudbury opened the eyes and hearts of the Coulas family in Sudbury — and they're now trying to open cheerful yellow umbrellas over people in need.   

Melody Coulas, 14, said it was pouring rain one day when she and her brother noticed a panhandler standing at an intersection, soaking wet. 

"We decided to pull over and hand him [our] umbrella," she said. "It made us happy to see a smile on his face." 

With that small act of kindness, an idea was born: the "Under My Umbrella" project in Sudbury is fundraising to raise money to buy yellow umbrellas. In turn, those umbrellas will be given to drivers to keep in their cars, in case they come across someone in need. 

Holly Coulas said when she thinks about the kindness of her kids, she can't help but feel "proud". 

"You try to teach your kids certain morals, she said, "You tell them to be kind to others, but when you see them actually take a plan into action, and do something about it, how can you not love your kids even more than you do?" 

Listen to the complete interview with the Coulas family here

A new campaign known as Under My Umbrella aims to help the homeless and others stay dry by providing umbrellas. The idea came from the Coulas family of Sudbury. We had Holly Coulas, her daughter Melody and her son Brandon in our studio to tell us more.