The first ever Coldest Night of the Year event held in Wingham was a heartwarming success. In the middle of so much upheaval, negativity, and struggle in our world, it was wonderful to see our community in northern Huron County come together on a cold February day to support each other. Funds raised by this event are for the support of a planned Connection Centre to be developed in Wingham to assist people experiencing homelessness. 
    The event itself was a great way for the community to come together, especially after so much time apart over the past few years. Over 115 walkers representing 28 teams participated on a 2.5 km route through Wingham and enjoyed hot treats and the feeling of connection.  The goal of $35,500 was smashed with a total of $41,311 raised within the community. There was even a little friendly competition, which saw the most funds raised by Sharen Zinn’s CLWD Victoria St. team, who brought in $4,340.00. 
    The opportunity for folks to walk virtually was also available to those who could not be present on the day. 
    The organizing committee is grateful to the walkers, the donors, and the 32 volunteers who helped out, keeping the event well organized and supporting the walkers. The sponsors were also a key part of making this event happen. McDonald’s restaurant was the lead sponsor, with Ideal Supply and Scotiabank also contributing. More information and pictures are available on the CNOY website (cnoy.org/location/wingham) as well as on the Wingham Coldest Night of the Year Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/637280807276951). 
    As I talked to members of the community leading up to this event, one of the most prevalent topics of conversation centered around the question “why?”. Why do we need to support an event like this? Why is homelessness even an issue here in our rural community? We don’t see homelessness the way it presents in the big cities, often being a hidden problem that only those directly affected and their families know about.
    There is a lot of shame associated with it, which also helps to keep it hidden. Huron County recently released an enumeration on homelessness – “Everyone Counts”, which was conducted during the week of November 29 through December 3, 2021. It can be easy to get caught up in numbers, but it helps to remember the people behind these statistics. 
    The report helps develop understanding about the issue, and the myths that often distort the reality. One commonly held myth is that homeless people are all addicts or are too lazy to work. People with addiction issues live in all parts of our communities, both homeless and homed. The report reveals that abuse and conflict is one of the main reasons people are homeless. “In order to survive, many people who experience homelessness are constantly in search for the necessities of life such as food, shelter, and a source of income”             Homelessness in the county has been a growing problem for years, and the county uses the Canadian definition of homelessness as “the situation of an individual, family, or community without stable, safe, permanent, appropriate housing, or the immediate prospect, means and ability of acquiring it.”  In 2013 Huron developed a Long-term Housing and Homelessness Plan, which attracted some provincial government funding to help local initiatives. 
    The enumeration was conducted as part of this and provides a snapshot of the scope of the issue during the period it was conducted. It is important to remember that this is a snapshot in time and represents a minimum number of people experiencing homelessness within the community. A number of participating partners contributed to the enumeration, including local hospitals, Huron Perth Public Health, libraries, Choices for Change, and the Canadian Mental Health Associations in Huron and Perth and Thames Valley Addiction and Mental Health Services.        
    The enumeration found that in 2021, 112 people reported that they were experiencing homelessness and 57 were observed to be homeless on the day of the count, but did not participate in the survey. This is a total of 169 people. It is interesting to note where these people are staying – unlike the common idea of people sleeping outside, only two of those reported staying in the category of “hospital, unsheltered, encampment, or vehicle”, while 42 reported staying with friends or family. Out of the total, 60 of these people reported experiencing chronic homelessness, which is defined as being “homeless for 180 or more cumulative nights in the prior year.” But, significantly, 82 responses to this question were “unknown”. 
    Perhaps the most interesting part of this report deals with who these people are and the causes behind their homelessness. If you combine the categories that include conflict and abuse - it adds up to 58, by far the highest number. 36 people reported their homelessness resulted from not enough income for housing, unfit/unsafe housing conditions or their building being sold or renovated. 48 people reported receiving a disability benefit as a source of income, while 17 were employed. Five were receiving a senior’s benefit and 23 of the respondents were homeless with children. 
    It is no secret that the cost of housing in our area has increased substantially over the past few years. But the numbers are still shocking. Research conducted by the Perth Huron United Way and released on March 25, 2022 shows that the average price for a detached home in Perth and Huron Counties increased over 35 per cent to $549,000 in the past 12 months. 
    The Farm Credit Canada (FCC) Farmland Values report shows similar numbers with farmland value in our area increasing 22 per cent over the past year, with the average value per acre now sitting at $23,500 Paying money like that for farmland leaves little incentive to farmers to save farm houses for rental. 
    As the cost of living continues to increase, and homelessness remains an issue, we as a society need to consider what is important and how we can become better stewards for our communities. We may never be able to solve all the problems of the world. But the small steps we take to care for each other and work together, can help create a movement of kindness and caring that will help our local communities and populations thrive. ◊