By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

More than $65K raised for local women’s homeless shelters

Feb 26, 2018 | 2:09 PM

NANAIMO — Hundreds of people walked Nanaimo and Parksville’s streets to get a sense of what it’s like being homeless during the winter.

They walked either two, five or 10 km. for the annual Coldest Night of the Year event on Saturday, Feb. 24. This year, they raised slightly more than $65,000 from the Island Crisis Care Society and helped show how devastating a night in the damp cold can be.

“This was such a wonderful illustration of community coming together to help those most in need,” Society executive director Violet Hayes said.

The money raised funds programs at the Nanaimo and Oceanside shelters the Society runs.

It was also the public unveiling of a $2 million campaign to expand Samaritan House, which is the Nanaimo women’s shelter at 355 Nicol. St.

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Hayes said the shelter, which is nearly 100 years old, needs a significant renovation and expansion, which will let them house twice as many women and also their families.

“We keep hearing there’s no money, you can’t do this expansion,” Hayes said at the Coldest Night of the Year event. “We really believe once Nanaimo knows what’s happening, they’re going to step forward and we’re going to raise that $2 million.

“It’s something we can’t just brush under the carpet anymore. We have to do something about it.”

Promotional pamphlets will be sent out shortly and information can be found online.

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