Got any HUGS to give?
Mental Health Estrie’s annual ‘HUGS (hats, underwear, gloves, socks) for the homeless’ campaign is underway, collecting warm clothing that will be distributed during the holiday season to clients of the Accueil Poirier homeless shelter in Sherbrooke.
Now in its 11th year, the HUGS gathered during the campaign are presented to the clients in the form of a gift bag, hoping to provide a source of comfort
around Christmas. According to Mental Health Estrie Executive Director Tanya Gibson, last year was a big success. The campaign distributed 35 gift bags, and extended its reach to include 10 bags of HUGS supplies to clients of the youth shelter La Source Soleil, and also help some Partage St. Francois residents, former clients of Accueil Poirier, working on transitioning to a more stable lifestyle.
“So far it hasn’t gotten too cold yet so it’s not on everyone’s mind,” said Gibson, but December is coming quickly, she added.
Gibson said all types of warm clothing are happily accepted, including long johns, scarves, and even winter coats.
While gently used winter coats are welcome, any donations of undergarments must be new.
The campaign also accepts toiletries and other necessities that are hard to come by but provide a source of comfort for people in difficult living situations.
In a previous interview, Partage Stfrancois Executive Director Sébastien Laberge explained to The Record that the people who frequent Accueil Poirier are walking all day. After hours and hours of perpetual movement in the wet and cold, to be able to put on a pair of clean dry socks without any holes is more than just comfort.
“It changes their life,” he said. The shelter receives anywhere from 600-700 client visits per year. Among those, anywhere from 75 to 90 per cent are people who are struggling with a mental illness, according to local statistics.
Close to 80 per cent of the Accueil Poirier clientele is male.
Gibson said the greatest need is for socks and underwear for men and gender neutral items.
HUGS donations can be dropped off at the Mental Health Estrie office, located at 257 Queen Street, Suite 900. There is a red bin outside the door where items can be left even if the office is closed.
Financial donations are also accepted. Mental Health Estrie makes regular contact with the Sherbrooke shelter to know if there are any specific needs. One year, the organization used financial donations to the HUGS campaign to buy a new blanket for each bed at Accueil Poirier.
For more information about the HUGS campaign or details about specific needs this year, call 819-565-3777 or email mhe.info@bellnet.ca.