CCS aiming to reach 200-walker milestone for Coldest Night of the Year on February 26

By Rob Paul

Each year, communities across Canada gather to walk at dusk of a February night with one common goal: to help the hurt, hungry, and homeless.

Coldest Night of the Year will take place in almost 200 communities on February 26, and, for the third straight year, the residents of Caledon will be able to walk in their own backyards to raise money.

Caledon Community Services (CCS) began the event locally in 2020 just prior to the pandemic, but due to COVID-19, both 2021's walk and this year's walk have been virtual. That means participants can plan their own routes and are encouraged to post themselves and their teams on social media using the hashtag #CaledonCNOY22.

So far, there are 149 registered walkers across 33 teams that have raised $56,114 (which surpassed the original fundraiser goal) with a new fundraiser goal of $75,000.

“It's going gangbusters; we've got a great response and it's the last week which traditionally in a peer-to-peer event you get a big upswing in the final days,” said Donna Cragg, CCS' Director of Communications and Marketing. “We're hoping to reach the 200-walker mark in this last week. It's an ambitious goal, but we had 144 or so last year and anything that represents an increase we'll be really thrilled with. We already surpassed our initial $50,000 fundraising goal, so we bumped it up and now everything above the original goal we're extra grateful for.

Though it's still a relatively new event to Caledon, CCS sees it as a fundraiser that will become a cornerstone of its programming because of the support the community has already put behind it. 

“The response in Caledon has been appreciation because people like to get involved in activities that help close to home and it was a national event happening in other communities that people were interested in participating in, but were so happy when it landed in their own community and could participate here,” said Cragg. “It's only our third year and it's the type of event that evolves and grows naturally through word of mouth and becomes embedded in the community,” she said. “Each year, we've seen an increase in the number of walkers and a lot of people have expressed that although it's great we're walking together while apart, they're looking forward to hopefully next year walking all together.”

CCS has seen firsthand the positive impact social services can have in the community on families who struggle. They've also seen the increased need for fundraiser as substantial as Coldest Night of the Year.

“When you think of Caledon, homelessness is not something that is top of mind, even for those of us who are concerned about our neighbours who are suffering in this pandemic,” said Michelle Veinot, Director of Community Services. “Roaming hillsides, quaint shopping in small villages, gorgeous bike trails, rolling farmland and exciting equestrian events are the more usual pieces of the Caledon landscape that most Caledon residents think about when they consider their blessed community. While those parts of Caledon are indeed in place, contributing to the beauty and good fortune of our community, they mask the hidden and much less attractive features of Caledon, some harsh realities for many who ‘live rough' in our community. 

“It is true that homelessness and precarious housing looks quite different in Caledon than in other parts of the Region of Peel and the GTA. Our community doesn't have urban sprawl where homelessness is rampant and in view on downtown streets. Our geography is vastly different than that of neighbouring Brampton and Mississauga. But make no mistake about it, Caledon poverty and marginalization from mainstream activities, while disguised, are apparent to anyone looking carefully enough to see it.”

Though Caledon families aren't necessarily struggling out in the open like in surrounding communities, CCS has seen the unique struggles that contribute to the hungry and homeless in the area.

“With almost no affordable housing in our community, the majority of those we assist are spending well beyond the recommended budget of 30 per cent of their income on housing. All too often they are left with no savings and little to no disposable income to enjoy the community we all call home. Imagine having to make the decision every single month if you should pay your rent or go into arrears by grocery shopping so that your children have lunch at school daily. Or default on your rent because there's medicine to buy or warm clothing needed or gas for the car or an overdue heating bill. These choices are not about discretionary items. Imagine the immense stress these choices create and the strain on one's mental health day after day after day. 

The Exchange, one of CCS' community support programs, assists approximately 875 families and people struggling day to day to maintain safe housing, three healthy meals, and basic needs.

“At the Exchange, we see these stresses in the faces of those we serve. We see families and individuals losing their stable housing regularly. We see families couch surfing from one location to the next. We see people living in their cars, living in campground tents and in hidden forested areas throughout Caledon. We see people unable to establish roots in our community because their housing is so precarious.

“At the Exchange, we see these stresses in the faces of those we serve. We see families and individuals losing their stable housing regularly. We see families couch surfing from one location to the next. We see people living in their cars, living in campground tents and in hidden forested areas throughout Caledon. We see people unable to establish roots in our community because their housing is so precarious. This year we are walking on our own, but we are still walking together in spirit. We walk in the darkness and the bitter February cold, but when our walk is done, we are blessed to return to our homes, warm ourselves, eat a good meal and be safe. It is a good reminder that this good fortune is what many in our Caledon community do not have.”