A record number of residents participated in the sixth annual Coldest Night of the Year Walk in support of Windsor's Downtown Mission.
More than 250 people embarked on walks through the city's core ranging from 2-km to 10km Saturday night, raising more than $54,000 and surpassing the mission's $50,000 goal.
Director of Development Rukshini Ponniah-Goulin says money raised goes toward operational expenses for the mission, which is completely reliant on donations from the public.
Ponniah-Goulin says the event goes further than just raising money, because a warm bed and a hot meal aren’t waiting for everyone after a cold rainy night.
"This is a way for people to see that sometimes our neighbours don't have that option and this is a way for people to see, even taking that one small step in the cold or in the rain, that it can really make a difference for someone who is hungry, homeless, or hurting," she says.
She says more than 140 communities held walks over the weekend, showing how far the issue of poverty reaches.
"It also gives people in our community an opportunity to get involved hands on, see the impact they're making, and actually be part of a bigger national cause that is affecting our people right here in Windsor-Essex," says Ponniah-Goulin.
The event raised $41,000 in 2018.