Pan Am Place supporters set for frigid night sleeping outside to raise money for Winnipeg's homeless
2nd annual sleep-out fundraiser hopes to raise $100K
It might be cold outside but it's not cold enough to stop a group of Winnipeggers from sleeping outside to raise awareness about homelessness in the city, and money for an organization working to put an end to it.
Pan Am Place is holding its second annual Bold in the Cold fundraiser Friday, an event that will see an expected 100 people spend the night outside in the cold at Old Market Square in the Exchange District.
Pan Am Place is a Winnipeg charity that houses and supports at-risk men aged 18-30 while they work toward a more positive life. As well as providing a place to stay and day-to-day necessities, the facility also includes a gym which residents use as part of their treatment program while they stay.
"It's really just a home," explained Harry Black, president of the Pan Am Boxing Club and Pan Am Place, which are located in the Exchange District.
"It's where men that would otherwise be homeless come and live.… It's food, it's housing, and it's coaching. We get them back on their feet.
"A lot of them come to us from a background of drugs and alcohol or just no home. So we get them back into school or we help them find work."
'I won't need Pan Am in the future'
Joel Labossiere, 28, is a recovering opiate user who is currently living at Pan Am Place. He spent time in recovery following a relapse that he says cost him his job, his home, his car and his savings.
He says Pan Am Place has given him the stability he needs while he gets back on his feet.
"It allows me time to get centred, focus on what I'm doing," said Labossiere, who is working to go back to college.
"During the day right now, I'm going out looking for the funding I need to get set up, but I know I'm not worrying about my current living situation," he said.
"I'm getting time to focus on myself so I can better myself, so ultimately I won't need Pan Am in the future."
Last year, 15 people took part in the inaugural fundraiser and roughly $25,000 was raised. This year, 92 people had signed up to take part as of Friday morning and Black is hoping another eight or so will register by the time the event starts at 8 p.m.
Participants will stay at Old Market Square until 8 a.m. Saturday. Black says there'll be fire pits to help fight the cold, but no tents.
"There won't be much sleeping. It's 17 or 20 below," he said. "It really is a wicked night to have to go through, which is what a lot men like Joel have had to go through all the time."
Temperatures will dip down into the –20 range Friday night, according to CBC meteorologist John Sauder.
Black hopes the fundraiser will bring in $100,000, which he says will help Pan Am pay for its day-to-day costs, including food, utilities and wages.