A group of people will be living on the street tonight by their own volition to bring awareness to the plight of homeless in Chatham-Kent.
In support the community’s only homeless men’s shelter, Hope Haven’s Boxes and Blankets event runs from 7 o’clock tonight until 7 o’clock tomorrow morning.
Spokesperson Wanda Bell says participants will sleep on cardboard boxes outside the Downtown Chatham Centre, giving them a first-hand understanding of what it’s like to be homeless.
“The stigma that’s attached to being homeless is horrific, and I’m hoping more people in Chatham-Kent will be empathetic,” Bell says. “Most of the folks that come to the Haven, they’re with us for a short time and then they find a home. But in that in-between time, it’s not easy.”
Pledge forms are available at the Hope Haven shelter on Wellington St. in Chatham.
Residents can also support the cause by making a donation at the event tonight.