Organization keeping London's homeless warm needs help
A London organization designed to help keep kids and the broader homeless population warm is looking for more support.
Keeping Kids Warm provides mitts, scarves and hats to those in need in a unique way.
On Wednesday, volunteer Ken Laurin explained to CTV News London the methods at Boyle Park in London’s Old East Village.
“What we do is we put them in [clear] bags to keep them from the elements and hang them here so that anybody who needs a hat or a pair of mitts to keep warm, they can come and take what they need,” said Laurin.
He also says the bags give a person experiencing homelessness the opportunity to accept a gift they might decline in person. The winter-wear items are placed in many areas throughout the Forest City.
Laurin joined Keeping Kids Warm five years ago after meeting Londoner Donna Atkinson-Wilson.
She founded the organization after an appearance of CTV London's former morning show, ‘New Day.’
“By the time I got home, I had received so many messages of help and support,” said Atkinson-Wilson.
Ken Laurin, a volunteer with Keeping Kids Warm, is seen at London’s Boyle Park, Jan. 26, 2022. (Sean Irvine / CTV London)The support elated her as was recovering from depression. With the support, she received a new charity was born and has since helped thousands of people.
“I figure we’ve given out over 20,000 items, handmade items,” she said.
But, there is more than yarn to this charity, “It’s more than mitts,” Atkinson-Wilson contends.
She believes in some ways, the items lift the mental health of recipients.
“Even to just know someone cares about them is what my message is.”
But as she and her volunteers spread their warming items around, they have also gotten to know London’s growing homeless population, especially the young.
But with successful connections comes some painful losses among the faces they meet.
“We lost four kids last year, all teenagers, four in a week,” said Atkinson-Wilson.
As she points out Bell Let’s Talk Day, she reminds us all to keep an open mind about the young in need.
Some of them have issues, mental health issues, drug issues, but they are kids, they’re kids! I would never, ever, see a child struggle if I could help them.”
Keeping Kids Warm is looking for more knitters and item distributors. If you can help, Atkinson-Wilson asks that you visit their Facebook page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
B.C. theatre to pay $55K to neurodivergent actor in discrimination case
British Columbia's human rights tribunal has awarded a neurodigergent actor, who was diagnosed with sensory and learning disorders, more than $55,000 after finding that a Kelowna theatre company discriminated against him because of his disabilities.
Who's responsible for regulating cannabis stores operating under the sovereignty banner?
It's not quite clear who is supposed to be regulating so-called sovereign cannabis stores or even ensure they're benefiting Indigenous communities.