Operation Scarf Sudbury partners with NISA to help less fortunate

Operation Scarf Sudbury was created last year after Vanessa Sieger saw too many people unequipped for the bitterly cold temperatures of a northern Ontario winter.

Angela Gemmill · CBC News · Posted: Oct 20, 2016 4:01 PM EDT | Last Updated: October 20, 2016

Vanessa Sieger started Operation Scarf Sudbury in 2015 after seeing too many people not equipped for the cold northern Ontario winter. The campaign has partnered with NISA this year to make homemade items. (Angela Gemmill/CBC)

Operation Scarf Sudbury was created last year after Vanessa Sieger saw too many people unequipped for the bitterly cold temperatures of a northern Ontario winter.

She started leaving packages of winter outerwear like hats, mitts and scarves, around the downtown bus terminal and local shelters.

"I work late and I noticed a lot of people standing outside the bus station that were not properly equipped for the cold weather. So I just started collecting [winter outerwear]. My workplace helped me a lot and I think we put out about 50 bags last year. They were gone within minutes."

Sieger calls Operation Scarf Sudbury a campaign to help spread warmth to the less fortunate in the city.

Operation Scarf Sudbury partners with NISA

As Sieger was preparing to begin the second winter of the campaign she was approached by Audrey O'Brien from the Northern Initiative for Social Action (NISA) to see about a partnership.

O'Brien says the agency, which helps those with mental illness, has a program called Warm Hearts, Warm Bodies. It provides fabric and textiles for clients to sew, knit or crochet homemade items.

These clients of NISA (Northern Initiative for Social Action) are knitting and crocheting homemade scarves, hats and mitts to donate to Operation Scarf Sudbury. (Angela Gemmill/CBC)

"We heard about the Operation Scarf project happening and it was just a beautiful fit with what we already do here in the space," says O'Brien.

NISA has scheduled workshops every Wednesday afternoon for clients to knit or crochet items. Those will then be donated to the Operation Scarf Sudbury initiative, to include in the packages.

Sieger says there is also a drop off box at NISA's location at 36 Elgin Street for anyone to donate hats, mitts and scarves. She says donations don't have to be homemade.

These packages were left out fortunate last winter in Sudbury through Operation Scarf Sudbury. This year the campaign has partnered with NISA. (Operation Scarf Sudbury Facebook page)

Along with a hat, a scarf and a pair of mitts, each package also contain a heat pack and a special poem. "Wrap this scarf to warm your soul, may it bring you comfort in days of cold."