On Saturday, Windsor will be among 190 communities across Canada hosting a Coldest Night of the Year fundraising walk to support programs and services that benefit those experiencing homelessness.
This year, the Downtown Mission set a fundraising goal of $100,000, but having raised $73,529, it might exceed that benchmark.
Registration starts at 5 p.m. on Saturday at the Downtown Mission at 875 Ouellette Avenue. Participants can choose to take part in a 2 km or 5 km walk through the neighbourhoods in the city's core. Afterwards, walkers will be offered a light meal.
The premise behind the walk is to offer participants an opportunity to step outside of their regular comfort and experience how those without a place to call home struggle to stay warm during the cold winter months.
So far, 36 teams from Windsor and Essex County are committed to facing a hint of the challenges clientele at the Downtown Mission face daily.
The Coldest Night of the Year walk is the Downtown Mission's biggest fundraiser of the year, and last year it raised more than $59,330.
The Downtown Mission has hosted the event since 2013, raising $439,870 over the past decade.
