The Executive Director of the Downtown Mission in Windsor is spending the night outside.
Ron Dunn is sleeping in a tent in front of the Mission’s Wellness Centre on Ouellette Avenue tonight.
He has also set up a park bench and is inviting anyone from the community to sit down with him and discuss the challenge of homelessness in Windsor-Essex.
“There are people on the street every night,” says Dunn. “So one day for me is not comfortable but it’s really nothing compared to those that we’re serving at the Downtown Mission.”
A survey in April 2016 found more than 30 homeless youth are living on the streets of Windsor on any given day.
Dunn is hoping his overnight campout will raise awareness for their current fundraising campaign.
“We’re at about $609,000 and so we are asking people to stop by,” says Dunn. “Every loonie becomes a toonie because it’s being matched by local philanthropist Al Quesnel.”
The donor says it will match all gifts received from the community, designated to the Wellness Centre, up to $1 million.
The deadline to have your donation matched is Oct. 31.
“The people of Windsor took the leap of faith with us last year and through the grace of God, together we opened a 74-bed shelter for the homeless” says Dunn. “But our work continues, demand for space has forced us to increase beds to 106.”
In 2016, the mission opened the Wellness Centre a 875 Ouellette Ave. Dunn says the renovations will be complete soon.
The Downtown Mission also offers a food bank, expanded employment skills programs and a sanctuary program.
