The Hamilton-based organization dedicated to helping people facing financial and social poverty is asking for help.
Helping Hands Street Mission is asking for help to source one hundred tents to provide temporary shelters for those in need.
The group says that in 2023 they received around one hundred requests for tents but were only able to supply 32 over the summer.
Helping Hands’ community engagement manager Lisette Sayes says, “we have a lot of homeless friends facing the elements right now…they need to protect their things and a stable place to come back to at the end of the day.”
Helping Hands is asking for donations of new or gently used tents, preferably big enough to fit two or three people that can be dropped off at their 349 Barton St. East location.
Instead of direct financial donations, the organization asks for donors to spend their money on their Amazon Wishlist – which can be found here – where the tents will be delivered to their free clothing store.
READ MORE: Downtown Hamilton YMCA residents displaced by fire given timeline on return
The group’s mission comes at a time when the city faces many housing and affordability difficulties.
A fire in downtown Hamilton’s YMCA July 19 displaced dozens of residents leaving many to see shelter elsewhere – for some people they have to wait as late as August 17 before being able to return.
Helping Hands’ executive project assistant Lauren Galencamp says that affordable housing needs to be prioritized by every level of government in order to overcome the current crisis.
She said, “affordable housing that includes supports has been largely helpful for all of our friends and the people we care about.”
A manager of the organization’s free clothing store said, “we know tents aren’t a solution, but for someone, it’s the next crucial step in survival while they’re living outside.”
The organization also requests that anyone not able provide a tent to spread the word on social media and to promote Helping Hands Street Mission on Facebook or Instagram.