Underwear, it’s an item most of us take for granted but for homeless shelters in Vancouver, and across Canada, it’s something that’s urgently needed.
“When you have it, you don’t think about it; when you don’t have it, it’s a big problem,” says Keela Keeping, who works for the Union Gospel Mission in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.
That’s where an organization like GotGinch comes into play. The group fundraised $6,000 in order to donate 5,000 pairs of underwear — 2,800 for men and 2,200 for women — to the UGM, the designated B.C. charity.
GotGinch is a national organization started in 2009 and over the past five years have bought 190,000 pairs of underwear and delivered them to homeless shelters across Canada.
Through fundraising events, the UGM has enough ginch for women but they are appealing to Vancouverites to help them reach their overall goal of 7,000 pairs of underwear for men. So far, they have hit one-third of their target.
GotGinch got the UGM kicked off but the charity is launching their A Brief Appeal to collect 4,200 pairs of men’s underwear.
From Nov. 10 to Nov. 19, people can donate new pairs of boxers and briefs (all sizes needed) or donate $2.50 for the UGM to purchase a pair.
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