Participants prepare to sleep in their cars for new United Way campaign
Sleepless in Thunder Bay, a new campaign by United Way of Thunder Bay, will invite participants sleep in their cars for one night in March as a way to keep the challenges of being homeless in the public conversation.
Albert Brulé, CEO of United Way of Thunder Bay, is under no illusions that the new event will solve homelessness.
“It is an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the realities that so many people face,” he says. “We see it as an opportunity to come together as a community to do something that helps raise awareness, and also will raise much needed funds.”
The event has currently registered about 15 teams of participants, but Brulé hopes to see more enroll in the campaign before the Sleepless event on March 28.
Kyla and Ray Jarvinen, of ITEC Equipment, were the first to sign up.
“As business owners here, we believe it’s our responsibility to give back,” says Kyla.
The two are encouraging other businesses to partake in the event.
Brulé describes the event as a way to develop empathy in the community.
“Even though it’s one night of stepping out of your comfort zone, sleeping in your vehicle, imagine if you had to do that every night,” he says.
Grade 12 student at St. Ignatius High School Olivia Kembel is the only high school student currently signed up for the event.
“This is an issue that also really includes and impacts youth,” Kembel explains. “We can kind of see when a student or a youth doesn’t have a stable place to sleep, a stable home somewhere… this shows up in the rest of their life. It impacts their education and their social connections.”
She feels that youth need to be a part of the conversation on homelessness.
Kembel is challenging some of her teachers and other people in her life to take part in the event as well.
While the event is free to participate in, United Way is encouraging those who sign up to fundraise, with a goal of raising $30,000 for the charity’s Pathways to Home initiative, which aims to address the root causes of homelessness.
Those wishing to take part can find more information at United Way of Thunder Bay.
