Shelter seeks last-minute support to hit funding goal
The Downtown Mission of Windsor is still nearly $30,000 short of its goal as the finish line nears for the Coldest Night of the Year, an annual fundraising walk to support the hungry, homeless and hurting.
Teams, individuals and Mission members will join other people from roughly 190 communities across the country on Saturday for the event.
Participants will head out for a winter night walk to highlight and get a sense of the challenges people experiencing homeless can face. As of Thursday, 36 local teams had registered.
The Coldest Night of the Year is the Mission's biggest annual fundraising event. Since 2013, it has locally raised $439,870. The Mission said all the money raised in Windsor stays in Windsor.
In 2023, volunteers raised $59,330. This year, organizers have set a target of $100,000. But the Mission said Thursday, with two days left before the event, that $73,529 had been raised.
Organizers say they hope other teams will register to help get the Mission over its $100,000 goal.
The walk begins at 5 p.m. this afternoon. Participant check-in and late registration begins at 4 p.m.
Participants will have their pick of a two-kilometre or five-kilometre course.
Walkers will head out from the Downtown Mission at 875 Ouellette Ave. and make their way through the neighbourhoods of Windsor's central core. The walk will also end at the Downtown Mission, which will offer walkers a light meal.
To register for Windsor's Coldest Night of the Year, head to the events section on the Downtown Mission website.
For those not interested in doing Coldest Night of the Year, the Mission website also provides the option for people to buy a batch of meals, and give one-time or ongoing donations.