HIV North is appealing to Grande Prairie residents to help them prepare the city’s homeless population for winter.
Executive Director Susan Belcourt-Ross says they want to make sure that people living high risk lifestyles have what they need to survive the winter and stay as warm as they can.
“So anybody that has any toques or scarves, mitts, warm socks, old boots that are in good condition, we’ll gladly take those as well.”
She says it’s simply impossible for the city’s homeless population to make it through a Grande Prairie winter without proper cold weather clothing.
“People can’t survive a winter without the proper clothing. We are partnering with Rotary House as well, and we’re doing our morning drop-in for the mat program so that they can stay open longer and people can stay out of the cold a little bit longer through the morning.”
Belcourt-Ross says they are also always looking for items for their women’s drop in, like toothbrushes and paste, feminine hygiene products, and deodorant.
Photo credit ROGERIO BARBOSA/AFP/Getty Images