Cheryl Jaime knows how tough it is for the homeless.
“I have been in a position of being houseless, and I just didn’t know where I could turn to,” Jaime said.
Earlier this year, Jaime started the Give2Give campaign to support some of the community’s most vulnerable individuals.
“The Give2Give campaign is something I started during the summer, during the heat wave, where I had seen a houseless individual have a heat stroke,” she said.
“They just didn’t have any water. And they were going in places and asking for water, but no one was offering it to them.
“So I wanted to start with handing out water bottles to those who needed it, and it just kind of grew. I started asking for donations and created hygiene kits and got clothing.”
Last Saturday, the Give2Give campaign hosted its fourth event, where people living without homes could find warm clothing and other items to help them get through the winter.
The event was held near the pedestrian bridge in the downtown.
“We allow the houseless community to come in and take whatever they need,” she said.
“I felt like it was really important to give back, because I know where it is they’re coming from.”
Now is a crucial time to support all Red Deerians in need, Jaime said.
“It’s not only important because it’s cooling down, it’s also important because of the pandemic. A lot of resources are very limited for people right now, and we need to take care of our neighbours, especially during such strange times.”
Jaime runs the Red Deer Against Racism Facebook page, which has about 2,600 members. Donations for Give2Give are collected through that group.
The campaign has also teamed up with other organizations to collect donations as well.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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