Giving back to support those who need it most.
Members from the Windsor Sports and Culture Centre, representing both the Sikh and Indian communities, donated 50 blankets, numerous food items and other supplies to the Street Help Homeless Centre on Wednesday, January 31.
The donations come at a time when Street Help, located on Wyandotte Street East, is seeing more and more people looking for help, especially given the high cost of living and inflation.
Jatinder Rai, president of the Windsor Sports and Culture Centre, says they've been giving back to Street Help a few times a year since 2005.
Rai says they were aware of the need for blankets, along with things like pasta, sauces and cleaning supplies so their members stepped up.
"We like to give back to the community, whatever we can do to help them out with their hard days. Because a lot of people are laid off, not working after COVID with how things have fallen apart. We've been doing this for a long time, and we'd like to keep going and stretch our donation if we can," he said.
Rai says they're lucky they have so many members who enjoy giving back, something he says comes from their Sikh faith.
"A lot of struggling because of no jobs and no food, and we do the same thing at the temple. We donate to the kids and the students. These guys here need help, there's a lot of people homeless out there sleeping on the street, but we can help them out by providing a blanket to sleep nice and warm."
Christine Wilson-Furlonger, Street Help administrator, says it's very special to have a group of people remain dedicated to supporting them over a number of years.
She says it's a much needed donation, because blankets can offer a huge help to those sleeping rough.
"A little thing if you go camping a lot that we learned to do is you tuck up in, and even wrap your head in a blanket, before you tuck into your sleeping bag and that helps to contain your body heat even more," Wilson-Furlonger continued. "These coming in is great, because the one thing a lot of sleeping bags don't provide is a head covering."
Wilson-Furlonger says the Champion Paper Products donated significantly help Street Help, stuff like toilet paper.
She says to some people these kinds of donations can be life saving.
"It's amazing, and the food certainly is. We believe that no matter your circumstances, what has transpired in your life to get you to that point, that doesn't matter. I just know that I read my job is to feed people."
Back around Christmas time, members also donated about 200 pizzas to support the efforts of the homeless centre.