An Edmonton woman has stepped up for the city’s homeless community during the city’s cold snap.
On Tuesday, Shaylyn Hunter posted on her Facebook page that she was going to buy gloves and socks for the Bissell Centre after seeing a tweet that a man came into the centre with extreme frostbite on his fingers and toes.
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On Wednesday, Hunter said she had received over $2,000 in donations that would go towards purchasing warm clothing for the Bissell Centre, Boyle Street Community Services, iHuman Youth Society and Youth Empowerment and Support Services.
By Thursday afternoon, Hunter said $2,800 had been donated and she was no longer accepting donations. Instead, she encourages people to donate directly to the organizations in need.
She said she believes every little bit counts.
“People were sending me $10 and saying, ‘You know, I’m from Toronto and this is all I can afford.’ But that’s two pairs of mitts for two different people,” Hunter said. “One pair of mitts is $5. That’s one person who has warmer fingers. Five dollars goes a really long way.”
View photos in the gallery below:
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Hunter is the sister of Logan Hunter, who was one of 16 people killed in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in April 2018.
She tweeted that her efforts this week were a great way to honour him.
READ MORE: Tuesday the coldest day in Edmonton in more than nine years
“It’s awesome to be reminded how many good people care about people and to see how many people wanted to support my little cause,” Hunter said. “In two days, it’s been pretty incredible.”
Edmonton has been under an extreme cold warning all week, with temperatures in the city dipping below -30 C and it often feeling like -40 or colder with the windchill.
WATCH BELOW: Weather specialist Mike Sobel delivers the weather forecast for Edmonton and surrounding areas on Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019.
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