A Whitby woman is continuing with her push to help the homeless in Durham Region. As Krista Kilian works to grow Randy’s Starfish Project, she continues to meet with the man in Toronto who inspired it.
They meet at the same time and place every Tuesday.
It doesn’t matter what the weather is like, Kilian has made a point of being in downtown Toronto to hang out with her friend Randy Collier.
“There’s a lot of misconceptions and a lot of stereotypes and I had some of those, too, coming in, and what I’ve really learned is there’s so many layers to homelessness, there’s so many barriers — it’s not as simple as saying, ‘Just get a job,'” said Kilian.
Collier spends every evening outside a grocery store at the corner of Front Street East and Princess Street. That’s his spot.
The 38-year-old is homeless and has been for the past two years.
“Once you get into the shelter system, it’s like a vicious dirty cycle. It’s hard to get out,” said Collier.
And having someone like Kilian in his life has meant the world to him.
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They met in August when Kilian stepped out of a course to grab lunch.
“I saw a cup sitting there with a sign saying, ‘Homeless will work for money,’ and my guilt got the better of me actually when I walked up the ramp and didn’t put anything in the cup. And so I turned around and put money in and Randy popped out from behind the parking meter and said, ‘Thank you, thank you,'” said Kilian.
“It means someone does actually care. For the most part, I just get someone who looks at you and they’ll pretend like they can’t even see you,” said Collier.
They built an instant connection.
Every week when they meet there’s nothing they don’t talk about.
“Everything and anything, really. There’s no boundaries. I feel I’m comfortable enough to talk to her about everything,” said Collier.
The connection between Kilian and Collier has become strong and she hopes showing that bond will get others involved in Durham Region. Killian wants to encourage people to make friends with someone who may not have a home.
So far she hasn’t been able to link anyone in Randy’s Starfish Project but she says there are a few in the works.
“Struggle is struggle, regardless of where you live,” said Collier.
“I look forward to it every week,” said Kilian.
After about an hour, it’s time to say their goodbyes — until next week, when they will meet again.
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