Maritime non-profits stepping up to help those in need during the cold months

First at Five looks at the efforts underway to collect and provide winter clothes for those in need.

Multiple non-profits are stepping up to help those in need during these cold months in the Maritimes.

“We give away hundreds of winters coats every year, hundreds of boots, the more boots we can get, the better,” says Michelle Porter, Soul’s Harbour Rescue Mission CEO.

Porter says they give out roughly half a million clothing items each year and the demand is growing. They have tripled the number of mobile missions they have on the roads, which distribute essentials across the region.

“One of the things that Soul’s Harbour needs the most of is winter gear, and that’s everything from long underwear to outerwear to good boots without holes in them,” says Porter.

Other non-profits like Brunswick Street Mission say they give out roughly 300 clothing items a month. Jaydean Jackson, program and outreach coordinator, says despite their regular givers, the donations never seem to be enough.

“It’s been a tough winter for a lot of folks and a lot of our folks are experiencing their first Canadian winter. It’s been very hard to meet the demand of what we are giving out. For example, we are completely out of winter gloves at the moment and jackets come very few and they go very fast,” says Jackson.

Jackson says they are always looking for donations from the community and every bit helps.

“Right now, we are always accepting our new and used winter coats, belts, sweatpants, and winter gloves, those are our main four that we are in need of right now. We are kind of always posting on our Instagram if there are any changes or what our feast and famine is at the moment,” says Jackson. “Honestly, a lot of our folks have been outside day and night during a lot of these storms and it’s life or death for a lot of them and when they are frostbitten or experiencing mental health crisis, it’s devastating to see our community and folks that have opportunity to give, not be giving and folks that need it aren’t, unfortunately are not being able to get it.”

The generosity of Maritimers makes a big difference to people like Rene Lacroix

“I’m very grateful to the people who run these places and do what they do for people like me,” says Lacroix.

He says he feels fortunate to have winter clothes himself, but many others need them.

“I’m lucky in the aspect that I do have boots and good shoes and things like that. There’s a lot of people that don’t have those kinds of things,” says Lacroix.

Other charities like the Parker Street Food and Furniture Bank say most of the clients who come to them are not properly dressed for the winter.

“The reason why they are not properly dressed is they are not from this country. They are from outside of Canada, so what they come with is all they have. And that’s not always suitable for winter,” says Romain Rhoden, Parker Street Food and Furniture Bank director of donor relations.

The team at Parker Street Food and Furniture Bank is preparing for their winter warm up program on Feb. 11 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. They are expecting a big turnout for the second year.

“They’ll be distributing you name it, jackets, scarfs, all sorts of winter attire to ensure our clients are safe outside in the elements,” says Rhoden. “I know a lot of our clients are coming down, most are coming down to grab as much as they can because it’s on a first come, first serve basis.”

Tara Morand is a regular volunteer at the Soul’s Harbour FreeMart.

“I have so much and the people I see in here have so little so I just can’t justify not helping out when I can,” says Morand.

“You can’t beat the help and the kindness that you get from people who work in these places,” says Lacroix.