This week, five University of Saskatchewan (U of S) students will be living homeless on campus, as part of the Five Days for the Homeless national campaign.
Other than a tarp and some sleeping bags, they will have no disposable income or phone, no access to a shower and no place to call home.
“We were all joking about the things we did to prepare for this,” campaign participant Autumn LaRose-Smith said. “I made sure that I had an extra-long shower, and I brushed my teeth and I was able to borrow all my friends’ really warm clothes.”
“The fact I have the privilege to do that is something I’m not going to take for granted anymore,” LaRose-Smith said.
The campaign, now in its 10th year at the U of S, is hoping to raise $20,000.
All the funds go towards EGADZ, Saskatoon’s downtown youth centre.
LaRose-Smith said they got a chance to tour the drop-in centre and learn about the programming offered.
“When people think of homeless people, they think of an old man sleeping outside — and that’s it. There’s so many other strands of that. We overlook the fact there are homeless youth as well,” LaRose-Smith said.
Throughout the week, the participants will be accepting donations in addition to a variety of other fundraising activities on campus, including food sales and an improv night.
Although the campaign has just started, participant Baxter Kawula said he’s learning more about what defines homelessness.
“It’s also the person who’s living in their car, who doesn’t have a safe place to call home, who’s maybe a youth, an adult, a teen mom,” Kawula said.
“It’s a lot wider encompassing than just what you see in the movies.”
The campaign runs from 5 p.m. CT Sunday until 5 p.m. on March 16.
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