Downtown cleanup program providing 'little bit of something' for Sudbury's vulnerable population

Dan Brunet volunteers to pick up litter three to four times a week. Each time he volunteers he spends two hours sweeping up garbage and cigarette butts that are found along the streets of downtown Greater Sudbury.

For the past four months Brunet has lived in a tent in the encampment at Memorial Park. The honorarium he gets from volunteering to clean up helps to buy food, cigarettes and other items he may need.

Although he doesn't consider himself vulnerable, Brunet is part of the vulnerable population who have been volunteering with the Downtown Sudbury Cleanup Program. The program not only keeps the downtown core free of litter, but it's also providing some financial help to those who may be homeless or have limited funds.

Operating since April, the cleanup program runs each weekday. A group of five different volunteers goes out in the morning for two hours to pick up litter. Another group does the same thing in the afternoon. Each volunteer gets an honorarium of $10 an hour for two hours of work.

"I really like that it's available for us to make some money and is supporting the homeless community or the less fortunate in the community, for sure. It really helps out," Brunet said.

He said the COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult for him to find work, and the cleanup program is convenient due to his proximity living in Memorial Park. The crew of volunteers meet in the underground parking lot at the YMCA to start their shift.

"It just helps me out — buy cigarettes, food, whatever — if I need something, it's easier that way. You can make some money," he said.

"[The money they earn] probably means everything to them," said Martin Kimewon, the program's lead coordinator.

"These are people that are sleeping outside in tents or wherever it is they may be staying, so from having nothing to having at least a little bit of something, it probably means the world to them."

Kimewon, who has a background in working in street outreach and shelter systems, tries to ensure the cleanup program is non-judgmental for the volunteers. 

"Everybody has their story, so it's creating that opportunity to make a few extra bucks for stuff they may need," he said.

Along with the monetary benefits, Kimewon said that many of the volunteers feel a sense of belonging, the sense of appreciation after they help to clean up the community. 

Idea snowballed after major snowfall 

The idea for the program actually came last winter when the YMCA on Durham Street was operating a warming centre for the vulnerable population.

According to Kendra MacIsaac, vice-president of Health and Wellness with YMCA of Northeastern Ontario, the YMCA had received monetary donations from some community members to assist with that operation. She said after a huge dumping of snow the clients using the warming centre offered to shovel around the YMCA.

"They wanted to help and to do something, so I think they just felt a sense of purpose and a sense of belonging," she said. That's when she decided to use the donations toward an honorarium for those who helped to clear the snow.

MacIsaac is also the co-chair of the Downtown Business Improvement Area (BIA) Association, also known as Downtown Sudbury. When she told the board about the honorarium for clients who shoveled, that's when they decided to create the cleanup program. 

"It ended up snowballing," she said.

Kyle Marcus, managing director of the Downtown Sudbury BIA, said the program was initially funded with a small investment from the BIA to help purchase things like gloves, dustpans, tongs and a mobile sanitation cart.

"It has developed into a 100 per cent community supported program, which means it operates 100 per cent on donations from our wonderful community," he said.

The honorarium is funded through community donations. Donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

"We're just actively looking for sponsors to be able to continue this program, and will continue it as long as people will sponsor it," MacIsaac said. 

"A sense of purpose and pride in the community"

The program is expected to continue over the winter, but instead of picking up litter volunteers will help to clear snow from around storefronts and parking meters.

"There's always these little things that can be done above and beyond to make downtown a more hospitable place," Marcus said.

"It has really given our vulnerable population a positive place to be, a sense of purpose and pride in the community in which they already live."