A nearly $25,000 donation to help Windsor's Homelessness and Housing Help Hub, or H4.
It was raised by students with Odette Commerce Society at the University of Windsor's Odette School of Business and was presented during Monday's city council meeting.
Outgoing President of the Odette Commerce Society Makennah Murphy says their goal was to raise $10,000 but ended up raising $24,802.
"I think it will help them support different resources and services they offer. Ultimately at the end of the day they are looking for a permanent site in the future. Hopefully this can spearhead that as part of their communication strategy," she says.
The OCS raised the money between March 16 and 20 as part of the Five Days Challenge for Homelessness, a national campaign in support of homelessness prevention.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the city converted the former Water World site on Wyandotte Street East near Glengarry Avenue into the H4. Since then, it has expanded the services available to include washrooms, beds, and access to wraparound social and support services.
Murphy says it was important to raise this money because homelessness is such a real issue.
"Having a site tour at H4, connecting with people with lived experiences, made it very real. Knowing it's not going anywhere if we don't do anything," she says.
Murphy says everyone was impressed with the outcome.
"I think we set a goal, not that we didn't think we would achieve it, but it was a high goal for a first-time campaign. The fact that we doubled it was insane and definitely rewarding," she says.
Fundraising activities during the 5 Days challenge included Coffee for a Cause, an event supported by Tim Hortons, the WindsorEssex Community Foundation, and AM800 CKLW.