3 ways to help the homeless during the holidays
By Jen Taylor on Dec 02, 2015
At this time of year, we’re often preoccupied with getting the right gifts, putting up the lights, or finding the perfect ugly sweater to wear to the next holiday party.
In the midst of all this holiday fervor it’s easy to forget about the people who don’t have the money to buy gifts for their children or even a home to decorate with holiday lights.
The City of Toronto is home to 2.8 million people, and over 5,000 of those people will be homeless during the holiday season. This year, let’s all take more time to lend a hand to the people experiencing homelessness this winter.
Toronto’s homeless
Last month, the average night occupancy for permanent emergency shelter programs was 4,090 people. This is a staggering statistic. Children, youth, Aboriginal people, and new immigrants make up the fastest growing segment of homeless individuals.
Additionally, Toronto is currently experiencing a shortage of affordable housing. Many homeless people and families in need of assistance “rely on temporary shelters, emergency services or a friend’s hospitality” to make it through the winter months.
Just because you can’t put a roof over someone’s head doesn’t mean you can’t make a difference. There are many meaningful ways you can help the homeless around the holidays.
The City surveyed a number of agencies that run shelters, drop-ins, and other services for homeless people in Toronto, asking them what would help bring holiday cheer to their clients at this time of year. Together, they created the 2015 Holiday Wish List, which identifies the agencies available to help the homeless, lists specific items they might need, and outlines volunteer opportunities throughout the city.
We all know that helping people in need is one of the best gifts you can give during the holiday season, so we’ve outlined three simple ways to give back.
Geranium Homes donated and collected non-perishable food items for the Whitchurch-Stouffville Food Bank
1) Donate food, funds, or time
According to North York Harvest, one in two food bank users are children, and since the recession, visits to food banks have increased by 45% in the Toronto suburbs. Help ensure that kids have enough food to eat a healthy breakfast before school and throughout the holidays by volunteering your time, funds, or non-perishable food items to shelters and local food banks.
Many agencies are looking for volunteers to help with activities like sorting donations, serving food, and wrapping gifts. Organizations like Second Harvest, the Fort York Food Bank, the Daily Bread Food Bank, or North York Harvest can always use extra hands around this time of year.
You can also put together a care package with the basics; winter clothing, toiletries, and gift cards for groceries. These items seem “routine” but significantly ease the strain of day-to-day living for individuals and families in need.
2) Contribute to a toy drive
Holidays are a particularly stressful time for homeless parents and low-income families. This year, donate to a toy drive or start your own toy drive at work.
You can drop off unwrapped toys, gifts, and gift cards to the Mayor’s annual Toy Drive until December 24th. The items collected will be distributed through the CP24 CHUM Christmas Wish and Global Television, and help provide some holiday cheer for Toronto children and families struggling to make ends meet.
Last year, the CHUM Christmas Wish provided toys and financial support to over 300,000 people in need. You can drop off a toy to one of the donation locations around the city, donate money online, or simply text a donation on your mobile phone.
Toy drives often see a shortage of gifts for infants and teenagers, so try to donate items suitable for newborns or gift certificates to popular clothing stores, coffee shops, and music stores. Last year, the Yonge Street Mission created a helpful Wish List of items by age to help families make the most of their donation.
Kylemore Communities hosted a holiday party and collected hundreds of toys for York Region families in need.
3) Lend an ear
The homeless are a vulnerable population, subject to a number of stereotypes and often treated as if they are invisible. Many people without permanent housing say that the loss of dignity that comes with homelessness is harder to deal with than the actual loss of physical things.
Even if you don’t have money or time to donate, try smiling, saying “good morning,” or acknowledging the homeless when you pass them in the streets. Treating the homeless with respect is a small step in the right direction towards eradicating stereotypes and changing the way we think about our homeless population.
Look for opportunities at work, contact schools and civic organizations in your community, or kickstart a food drive or fundraising event. Oftentimes people are looking for ways to help but need someone to take charge and organize the efforts.
A new year, a new opportunity
It’s important to remember that the homeless struggle not only during the holidays, but year-round. If you’re able to donate time, funds, or food this season, consider making it a monthly habit. We should all aim to spend a little less time on the couch with Netflix, and a little more energy getting involved in our communities in the new year.
