Richmond Hill 'Coldest Night of the Year' walk raises over $45K for homeless

Out of the Cold program provides overnight shelter and food to more than 500 people in need annually

Yorkergion.com
Feb. 27, 2019
Sheila Wang

It may not have been the coldest night of the year, but it was a night full of the most heartwarming moments.

More than 100 people, braving the winter chills and freezing wind, walked on the streets of Richmond Hill in the evening of Feb. 23 to participate in the Coldest Night of Year walkathon.

This is the first year the Mosaic Interfaith Out of the Cold (MIOTC), a program providing shelters for the homeless in York Region, held the annual walkathon in Richmond Hill to raise funds for those who are hungry, homeless, and hurting in the community.

At 6 p.m., 153 participants from across York Region started their venture out into the cold from the parking lot of TMS School to walk for a distance of their choice -- 2 kilometres, 5 kilometres, and 10 kilometre -- on the streets.

Among them was 8-year-old Lily Shai from Thornhill, who was the youngest participant in this year’s walkathon.

“Not everyone is as fortunate as I am, so I want to help them,” Shai said.

At her eighth birthday, Shai told her mom that she wanted to help people who didn’t get to have presents as she did. Shai’s mom, after reaching out to MIOTC, signed her up the 5-kilometer walkathon so that the eight-year-old could do her part to help those in need.

Shai alone raised more than $800 to support hungry, homeless and hurting people.

It was with her and so many other’s help, that the walkathon raised over $43,000, far exceeding the initial goal of $25,000.

It would have been impossible without the generosity of hundreds of people from across the region who put their hands in their pockets to help the homeless out, said Rehana Sumar, executive director of the Mosaic Interfaith Out of the Cold program.

Richmond Hill Mayor Dave Barrow also pledged $2,000, on behalf of council, which brings to the total amount to over $45,000.

Sumar said it would be of great assistance to the program which has experienced a funding shortage of over $16,000 per year.

The program provides overnight shelters in York Region seven nights per week during the coldest months of the year (November to March) to its host community sites, including St. Mary's Anglican Church, Vaughan Community Church and The Bridge Markham Community Church.

MIOTC serves more than 500 people in need annually, and up to 40 people each night with overnight shelters and food.

“I’m really touched by the cause and that’s why they were doing this,” said Meena Bali, a retired yoga teacher in Richmond Hill, and a member of the York Region Seniors' Club. “It made me realize how people live outside during the winter time when I walked for two kilometres today."