Homeless Connect

I spent a chunk of this afternoon at the United Way's InKind Centre. We were volunteering for Homeless Connect which takes place at the Shaw Conference Centre on May 9. Homeless Connect brings together businesses, organizations, and volunteers to provide valuable services to people experiencing homelessness (or are at risk) such as eyeglasses, dental care, long-distance phone calls, haircuts, and mental health services.

There is a lot of preparation that needs to be done before the event, and that is where I have been helping out. I have been distributing posters and cards, mostly in the McCauley area, to make people aware of the event (for both potential volunteers and guests). This afternoon, we helped sort personal care items for the care kits that are distributed to all of the guests who attend Homeless Connect (an estimated 1200). We then helped sort through coats donated for the United Way's "Costs for Kids and Families" campaign. The coats are all dry cleaned by Page Cleaners and then sent to the InKind Centre. We had to sort the coats based on size (Men's, Women's, Children's, Teens', etc.) and season (Spring or Winter). Spring coats will be given out at Homeless Connect.

I had a great time meeting Kristy Jackin, the InKind Centre's Program Coordinator, and learning about the work of the Centre. hHomeless Connect needs volunteers on the day of the event, so check out their website to learn more.