St. Clair College students and other community members spent a chilly night outdoors to raise money for homelessness awareness.
Rough Night Out 2026 took place at St. Clair College's main Windsor campus Friday night, raising $9,300 for the Windsor Residence for Young Men (WRYM).
From 8 p.m. until 5 a.m. Saturday, participants took part in awareness-building activities and games during a program overseen by the college's Community and Justice Services program.
WRYM Executive Director Jason Weinberg said that the overnight fundraiser does not scratch the surface of what some young people must endure every night.
"One night outside can’t capture that reality," said Weinberg. "What it does do is create space for reflection, learning, and connection, and it helps our community better understand why safe housing and consistent support for young people are so critical."
St. Clair student McKinley Lenehan was among those roughing it.
"Rough Night Out helped me better understand the reality of youth homelessness in our community," said Lenehan. "It’s one thing to learn about it in class, but it’s another to experience even a small part of it firsthand. It was eye-opening and humbling, and it made me appreciate how important WRYM’s work is in providing safety, stability, and hope for young people in our community."
Students and faculty from the PF/PSI Society, Paralegal, Border Services, Social Justice and Legal Studies programs in Windsor, and the Police Foundations program on the Chatham campus, took part in the event.
Funds raised support the WRYM, which supports young men aged 16 to 24 at risk of homelessness through housing, aftercare, employment support, and life skills programming.
