Tonight I sleep on the sidewalk at Portage and Main.
We all know there are homeless people in our city–people who live under bridges and sleep on cardboard boxes. Last week, we learned of a person walking downtown with no shoes. It was an international story that at once showed our city at its best: a bus driver who cared – and at its worst: the challenge of social inequity.
That inspiring example has helped raise awareness levels about homelessness. Last week, our Community News Commons web site had 134,000 hits and our Facebook page recorded 25,000 “likes” as people followed the story. It was a fitting lead in the first ever Homelessness Awareness Week in Winnipeg.
“Change for the Better” is an effort to mobilize the community around supportive housing and employment programs that offer solutions. Tonight, I’m taking part in their CEO Sleepout event. I’ll be one of more than 40 Winnipeg CEOs spending the night on Winnipeg sidewalks to help raise awareness and support for this important issue. The discomfort of sleeping on the street for one night is hardly similar to the larger realities that face the least advantaged of Winnipeg citizens. But it does offer a tangible opportunity to help.
Not everyone will give the shoes off their feet. But, we always have the opportunity to support homeless people with a donation. Your gift to Change for the Better goes to a good cause and every gift matters.
To make a donation click on this link: http://bit.ly/S2c6XO
Rick Frost’s blog can be found at: http://wpgfdn-blogs.org/
