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It’s a roller-coaster of emotions out with the homeless

The Jews are coming, the Jews are coming, exclaims Nancy, a frequent visitor to the St. Felix centre. Its a bitter cold February night in Toronto with temperatures below minus-20 Celsius. And the city has issued one of its increasingly frequent extreme cold weather alerts. At such times this non-profit community centre for those in need becomes a warming centre.

I am volunteering with Veahvata, a Canadian-Jewish humanitarian group of which I have been chair for almost two years. The unit operates our Mobile Jewish Response to the Homeless van bringing warm clothes, sleeping bags, hot coffee and soup to Torontos homeless on a nightly basis.

Its a roller coaster of emotions on this evening. I see despair, hope, strength, courage, love, loss, fear, and life. Travelling the streets where our clients live, our driver Amit knew every spot they could be found. Our work was more than just handing out warm clothes and food. We spent hours simply talking to those we served. Amit explains: People have a tendency to see the homeless as one large group with no name. It invisible-izes them.

But each has a story, a life, and despite their present circumstances, each is due love, dignity and respect. Indeed, I came to understand this on a personal level a few months ago.

His name is Gregory. He is of indeterminate age, maybe in his sixties, maybe younger. Gregory wears a raggedy overcoat, on top of two heavily-patched sweaters, torn jeans, mismatched thin socks and mittens most wouldnt wear on a cool spring day.

His skinny frame, long unkempt gray hair and scraggly beard is a common sight on the northwest corner of Yonge and King just below the building where I work. He makes his bed there, over the subway grate for the warmth it produces. Gregory is one of an estimated 5,000 homeless people in Toronto.

His story is not unusual. Gregory has mental health problems, which made it nearly impossible for him to work and even more difficult to navigate the social welfare safety net. So, sadly like many others he just gave up. Living on the streets became his only option.

And tragically, its getting worse with this past months cold spell bringing evening temperatures to record lows with the wind chill.

I couldnt help but think of Gregory and the horror of freezing to death while volunteering this night. It was so cold that even a few minutes outside the van seemed like an icy eternity.

What must it be like for James? He is one of the younger men we meet on the streets. He makes his sleeping area paradoxically near the Rosedale ravine in a large crevice beneath the Sherbourne Street bridge. During the day, he goes to the library to use the computer or read. He has dreams of going back to school and re-entering the world but feels lost in the bureaucracy. Tonight hes cold. He is also looking after a friend who is not well. They sleep side by side for warmth. Amit goes to check it out only to find Jamess friend gone. Its the way of the streets.

Sebastian, another man we meet, was actually brought up in Rosedale. He went to an exclusive private school but he had problems no one could understand. He tells me that he mostly lives inside his head. On this night, Sebastian is making his home in the hollow of a building entrance. He doesnt want anyone to know where he is and makes Amit promise not to divulge his whereabouts. Tonight all he wants is a dry, warm pair of socks and a cup of coffee.

At Queen and John is where William has his sleeping bag set up. An epileptic, he depends on his wife Christine for care. They fought last week at the rundown flophouse at which they were staying, and now he is forbidden from returning there. William needed a new coat. We had one left. Hes a big man not a great fit but it works for him. He ambles back to his corner and wraps a blanket around himself, a frozen hunched-up figure trying to keep warm. We run in to his wife soon afterwards. She has forgiven him and is worried he wont take his medication.

Back at St. Felix, Nancy has aroused a number of the other occupants we hand out coffee, cookies and the rest of our socks and mittens.

I cannot get over how cold I am. I fear for those I meet this night. Its been over a week since I last saw Gregory. He has bad lungs. Im worried about him. I keep hoping to see him tomorrow.

news@nowtoronto.com | @nowtoronto

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