Fundraiser for homeless youth prompted the question, ‘Where are you sleeping tonight?’
There are times a student may nod off in class or in a common area, often over a book. Earlier this month, several students had some real shuteye as they slept at the University of Winnipeg for a week. At night that is. And outdoors!
Among them were Isidora, Anne and Quinn, who called a little shabby shack their home for Five Days for the Homeless, as part of a Resource Assistance for Youth cross country fundraiser during the week of March 13.
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- James (left) gives food donation to Quinn while Isidora looks on.
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- Anne gets ready for a ‘homeless’ night.
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- L to R: Isidora and Quinn trying to stay warm.
I visited the students before a night of rest and returned to see them emerging from their chilly shelter in the morning.
In the morning light, their plywood shelter reveals shipping pallets and a piece of tarp with newspapers as insulation.
With my wake-up call at 8 a.m., three people moaned and moved. Their bodies chilled and their sleep not so restful, they faced the day where for part of it, they collected donations so others their age would not have to face the same or worse fate every night.
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- Rise and shine.
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- Emerging from shelter.
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- Isidora greets morning light.
At various universities, students attended classes as usual while sleeping outdoors for the cause in whatever materials may have come their way by donation.
There were many restrictions that made for more of a homelessness feel, such as not being allowed to use actual tents or other camping shelters.
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- Emerging from cocoon.
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- Sore and tired.
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- Quinn greets the day.
Click play on this audio report to hear what it was like for the students participating in this effort:
Life goes on (and is a lot warmer now) for Isidora, Quinn and Anne. But, of course, this may not be the case for the truly homeless young people out there.
RaY is a non-profit organization geared to help youth gain employment, housing and clothes among other life necessities in a warm and non-judgemental kind of atmosphere.
RaY’s office hours are Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with their Drop-In open Monday to Friday 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and Monday and Wednesday 5:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m., on weekends Saturday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
There is also a street outreach program Monday to Thursday 5:30 pm to 9 p.m.
For more information, you may contact RaY at 204-783-5617 or email at info@rayinc.ca donations can be made to http://rayinc.ca/get-involved/donate/
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