THUNDER BAY - With temperatures dropping and the nights getting longer leading up to the holiday season, people living on the streets not only need to find shelter, they also need to feel valued.
The Thunder Bay Shelter House is once again reaching out to the public to help those most vulnerable in the community by supporting various fundraising initiatives this season.
Michelle Jordan, acting executive director of Thunder Bay Shelter House, said there is always an increased need during this time of year.
“We definitely see a rise in the population here,” she said. “We are full by about 9:30 every night, which is really unusual for us. The wintertime seems to be more of a need for everybody to be here. We really need more donations, food, everything.”
Throughout November and December, the Shelter House will be hosting a number of fundraisers, including the Humour for Hope Comedy Show at Lakehead University, the Home Depot Orange Door Project, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine Holiday Concert, and the Power Centre Power of Giving Project.
A donation card will also be mailed out this week and the Christmas Campaign will officially kick off on Nov. 25 with a food drive at all three Metro locations from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Jordan said the goal this year is raise more than $200,000, which will be used to fund various services including the managed alcohol program, the Street Outreach Services program, as well as general Shelter House services.
“The people of Thunder Bay have stepped up for us before with our SOS campaign, so we are hoping they can do the same for us again at Christmas time,” Jordan said.
And while this time of year is often referred to as the time of giving, Jordan is encouraging the public to give a little more to some of the most vulnerable people in the community, so they can not only be warm and safe, but also feel valued.
“The people that stay here, this is a really rough time of year for them and they really don’t have anything,” she said. “It’s really important that people feel valued in the community, and that includes people who stay here. They are valued in the community just as much as everybody else.”
For more information on how to donate, visit the Thunder Bay Shelter House website.
