Guelph-Humber community raises $805 for Haven on the Queensway non-profit
University of Guelph-Humber (U of GH) Justice Studies students bundled up to brave the winter chill for a charity walk during the “Coldest Night of the Year” event in Toronto’s Etobicoke area in February.
Justice Studies Chair Gary Galbraith mobilized a group of six students, who banded together with a goal to raise $500 for the Haven on the Queensway, a non-profit organization that offers food, clothing, and other resources for those in need – and ultimately surpassed that target, raising $805.
“This is just such a great event, and it really gets the community involved,” fourth-year Justice Studies student Nicole Samborsky said, who participated in the fundraiser with the University.
Coldest Night of the Year takes place across Canada throughout various regions, allowing people to support local charities that work with people who are experiencing homelessness or are precariously housed. Participants raise money, then partake in a group walking event. This provided members of the Guelph-Humber community the chance to unite and give back for the greater good.
Galbraith was motivated to form the U of GH team this year during his first full semester as the Justice Studies Chair because as someone who’s participated in Coldest Night of the Year since 2020, he’s been part of the powerful ripple of positive impacts and hoped the walk would help students “show their support for people experiencing hurt, hunger, and homelessness in our local communities.” As future legal, law enforcement, and public safety professionals, Galbraith also said students’ community service contributions are important because showing support for vulnerable populations is a key value employers look for in this sector when hiring.
The walk is called Coldest Night of the Year for a reason – U of GH's participants walked least three-and-a-half kilometres in cold, wintry conditions. Samborsky mentioned this gave her a chance to reflect on the struggles many people in Canada deal with, especially when experiencing homelessness.
“There are people who don't have anything, and it’s heartbreaking to think about it,” she added.
Meanwhile, first-year Justice Studies student and participant Sarah Shad said she decided to partake because she was looking for a way to give back, then jumped at the chance to join in after seeing an email come through about U of GH starting a team for Coldest Night of the Year.
“I speak so highly of this school to anybody who will listen… You don't often hear about things like this from other universities,” she said. Shad felt the opportunity to do this as part of the Guelph-Humber team was one that she described as “amazing,” and she got to share the opportunity with a friend of hers, too.
For Samborsky, she felt compelled to participate because supporting others is a value engrained in her from a young age. “My parents raised me on values of giving back and recognizing that not everybody has what I have. I want to be grateful for what I have and help and raise awareness for that whenever I can,” she said.
Uniting for such a pertinent cause was a rewarding moment for the participating students, and one they can remember during their time at Guelph-Humber for the rest of their lives.
To see the University’s fundraising page, click here.
