At 8 p.m. on Feb. 6, Caroline Ayebare made her way to her parked car to sleep there overnight.
Ayebare is an Ottawa representative with the Canadian homelessness prevention charity, Raising the Roof. She was taking part in the second “One Night Sleep Out” on what is known as “Toque Tuesday.”
Joined by participants in Calgary, Halifax, Kitchener, Ottawa, Toronto and Winnipeg, Ayebare was helping raise funds to support the creation affordable housing for those experiencing homelessness.
“This is the only thing we could do as an actual sign to commemorate these people,” she said. “Because they experience this every other day, we have to come out and show signs of empathy, encourage them and let them know that are with them in this together.”
Homelessness surged during and following the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with the affordability crisis in the housing market, more and more Canadians are experiencing what’s known as “hidden homelessness.”
Every night, these people leave work or school to sleep on friends’ couches, in their car or other places outside the formal shelter system.
“One Night Sleep Out,” aims to make a difference by sleeping “rough for one night, so others don’t have to sleep rough every night.” Each participant tries to raise at least $150 through the associated Raising the Roof Toque Campaign.
The initiative has raised more than $9 million during the past 26 years through the sale of toques ranging from $15 to $58.
David Pereira, who runs a business helping renters become homeowners, started raising funds on Feb. 3. His experience in real estate over the last few years has opened his eyes “to how easily one catastrophic event” — whether a financial, family or medical crisis — can disrupt a person’s stable living arrangements.
“I’ve spoken to hundreds of (renters) in the last few years, and I’ve heard several stories of people who have gone through difficult times,” Pereira wrote on his donation page.
Despite the chilly weather on Feb. 6, Pereira and his daughter made their way to the Realty One Group parking lot where the Toronto event was being held. They prepared their vehicle for the night using sleeping bags, warm blankets and pillows.
It’s not just the guy we see on the street sleeping on a warming grate. There’s a lot of people who have jobs but don’t have a home and have to sleep in their car. Tuesday night gave us a small peek into their life.
David Pereira, Toronto participant, One Night Sleep Out
The next morning, the pair woke up to good news. They had raised $1,200, contributing to the $82,000 collected by Raising the Roof.
“My goal for this experiment was that my daughter and I become more empathetic to the homelessness situation,” he said. “It’s not just the guy we see on the street sleeping on a warming grate. There’s a lot of people who have jobs but don’t have a home and have to sleep in their car. Tuesday night gave us a small peek into their life.”
The funds raised are poured into the Raising the Roof RESIDE program, which supports the renovation of properties to turn them into homes. Restoration is done by youth seeking employment, an approach that offers affordable housing and employment experience simultaneously.
Outside of Toque Tuesday, funds are raised by youth ambassadors.
Ayebare joined the organization’s National Youth Ambassador program because she’s passionate about amplifying voices. She raises donations through toque sales, Raising the Roof and other events.
Although the non-profit is a national charity, it is headquartered in Toronto. Being one of the few Ottawa ambassadors, Ayebare said she hopes to make an impact in her city.
“There are so many (Raising the Roof) projects in different parts of the country, though there are none yet in Ottawa. That’s why we are getting people involved,” she said. “(We want) to extend these projects to our community, as well.”
