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YWCA Regina held its 10th annual Coldest Night of the Year walk to raise awareness about homelessness and funds for its shelters on Saturday.
YWCA’s Meghan Trenholm said the walk is meant to help build empathy for those who are forced to endure the cold weather with no place to go.
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“It’s … about awareness and to try and further your own understanding about what it’s like to be outside for an extended period of time or just to have the experience of being out in the cold,” she said.
This year’s fundraising goal is to raise $75,000 for YWCA’s My Aunt’s Place.
On Sunday morning, the organization was already 86 per cent of the way towards its goal. Donations can still be made online here. Donations will be accepted until the beginning of March.
The walk began at YWCA’s kikaskihtânaw Centre at 5 p.m. Participants could choose between walking two kilometres or five kilometres, with kikaskihtânaw being the final stop.
More than 200 people were registered to walk.
Before the event, people gathered inside the building, socializing and treating themselves to s’mores and warm drinks.
Among them was Michel Sorensen, who wanted to walk in memory of her father who had struggled with addictions and homelessness in Regina.
“It’s a huge problem in our city and it’s important that we recognize it and help and work together as a community,” Sorensen said.
She said it was invigorating to see how many people joined in the fundraiser.
“I love helping out,” said Tracy Hagan. “I like to volunteer and help out downtown. It’s just something that’s really dear to my heart, so I’m here to support everybody.”
Hagan said it was a great cause and people need to do the best they can when aiding those who are struggling the most.
YWCA said it housed 911 women and children at its emergency shelters last year and 350 of them were housed at My Aunt’s Place.
As of October, the Namerind Housing Corporation said at least 824 people were experiencing homelessness in the city — more than double the 408 people counted in 2021.
Trenholm said YWCA has noticed the increased demand, even causing it to open an additional shelter called Joan’s Place last February.
Last year’s increase in demand caused YWCA to turn away three times as many people due to a lack of space and resources.
The Coldest Day of the Year walk in Regina was one of over 200 happening in communities across the country.
Trenholm said the event gives the public a glimpse of the work YWCA does and shows that there is a lot of community interest in addressing homelessness and housing insecurity.
“As people are walking and when they are back in the building and having chili gathering together, we talk about what’s going on in the building, we talk about those realities,” Trenholm said.
She also said YWCA does a lot of advocacy working with different levels of government to push for community investments.
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