Local seniors sew hand-made blankets for homeless
Julie Chalykoff is one of several community members who are helping those in need this month as Ontarians bear the frigid cold.
Working as an active volunteer for decades, she, along with several seniors from southwestern Ontario began sewing 35 blankets for London’s homeless population.
Chalykoff and her group of friends started making masks last year for students and blankets for people in need.
“We feel so good and the seniors feel so good to give something to the less fortunate,” she said.
The group of volunteers is made up of several friends and people in the community who offered to help, said Chalykoff.
“Because of the pandemic, the seniors really appreciated doing something. I just made some phone calls and some offered, and that’s how it started,” she said.
To make sure the blankets got into the right hands Chalykoff dropped them off at Project Hope’s location. Project Hope is a charity organization that supports individuals experiencing homelessness in the city.
The organization’s donations coordinator Tara Lavoie told CTV News London, “Those blankets could mean the difference between life and death for some of these people...You wouldn’t believe it but there are tons of people sleeping on the streets of our city every night.”
The organization has nearly 100 volunteers, many of whom are out on the street several times a week hoping to make a difference by handing out toiletries, hot meals, blankets and more.
“We just talk to them and see what they need and hope that we have it,” Lavoie said.
Levoie says those looking to help someone in need through Project Hope can drop off a donation at their storage location at 203 Bathurst St.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Auston Matthews returns for Game 7, but Leafs minus injured goaltender Joseph Woll
Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews returned to the lineup for Game 7 against the Boston Bruins on Saturday night.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.