Coldest Night of the Year walk returns to Kitchener

Hundreds out for the Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser. (Krista Sharpe/CTV Kitchener) (Feb. 25, 2023)

Ray of Hope is kicking off its campaign for the annual Coldest Night of the Year walk, a family-friendly fundraiser campaign supporting local charities that assist people experiencing homelessness.

The event will take place on Saturday, but organizers officially launched the campaign on Dec. 1, 2025. This year’s walk will begin at Cameron Heights Collegiate Institute located at 301 Charles St. E., and conclude at Ray of Hope at 659 King St. E., suite 230.

The walks begins at 5 p.m. and a community dinner at Ray of Hope will start at 6 p.m.

“The Coldest Night of the Year is a winter-rific family-friendly walk to raise money for local charities serving people experiencing hurt, hunger, and homelessness,” said Mitchell Vandermey, fundraising associate with Ray of Hope. “This year, Ray of Hope is returning as the number one location in North America as we raised over $250,000 this past February with over 700 people attending our event.”

Organizers are encouraging residents to participate, donate or form teams to help support the cause.