A group of Dalhousie commerce students are trading in their dorm rooms for the street over the next few days to take part in the ‘5 Days for the Homeless” campaign.
Six students will be living outside on University Avenue in Halifax to raise money and awareness about youth homelessness in the community. Participants are only able to wear the clothes they have on their backs and access public washrooms.
“We can’t have food or drinks unless they are donated to us. We can’t use technology and our phones and our laptops and stuff like that,” said Katie Flanagan, Chair, 5 Days for Homeless.
The event is actually part of a much larger, national campaign, that started in Alberta. “It’s done at universities across Canada. This is the 11th year of the campaign and the third year here at Dalhousie,” said Flanagan.
The unique part about this campaign is that the money raised in each individual community stays in the local area. The students in Halifax have chosen to donate all funds they raise to Phoenix, a non-profit community organization which helps at-risk and homeless youth.
“They’re more than just a shelter or something like that,” said Flanagan, “They offer so many different programs and supports and services for youth ages 11 to 24.”
“Basically what they’re doing is raising some important awareness about the work that we do, about the programs that youth can access and the diversity of those programs,” said Kim Morvan, Senior Director, Phoenix.
Morvan says each year the organization helps 1,200 youth through a variety of programs, assisting many to break the cycle of homelessness.
Over the last two years, the Halifax campaign has raised more than $13,000 for Phoenix.
Flanagan says it’s important to help at-risk youth because they are all around the community and struggling.
“That’s the reason why we’re here to raise the awareness that these people are everywhere, they’re just dealt a different hand that we were.”
Those looking to donate to the ‘5 Days for the Homeless’ campaign can do so here.
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