Brantford Native Housing (BNH) is asking the community to consider donating much-needed clothing items and winter essentials for its outreach program.
BNH is a non-profit charitable corporation with the main objective to provide safe, secure and affordable rental homes for the urban Indigenous community in the City of Brantford. Its outreach program also works to support both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people experiencing homelessness by providing food, clothing, hygiene products, harm reduction supplies, first-aid and medical items, safe contraception and cultural supplies such as traditional medicine (Sage, Cedar, Sweetgrass, Seashells and Bear Root).
Lacey Stevens, a BNH Community Coordinator and Outreach Worker, said that although the city has recently been experiencing some warmer weather, the winter isn’t done just yet, and the organization is in need of clothing donations.
“The nights are super cold, and the winds that we’ve been getting make it feel even colder,” she said. “So while it may be a little bit warmer right now, when that wind hits, it’s pretty chilly out there for people, so these donations would go a long way,” she said.
Stevens went on to say that their stock of general women’s clothing is currently well supplied, however, BNH is in critical need of the following items:
- Men’s clothing, sizes small to extra-large: gently used sweaters, shirts, pants, underwear (new only) and socks (new only).
- Winter coats, mens and womens.
- Gloves
- Hats
- Scarves
- Gently used footwear/boots
- Blankets, and
- Sleeping bags
The community coordinator said that any donations the organization receives will be utilized by its outreach program and gratefully accepted.
“We have our journey van, which is run by Bethany, and she partners with other Indigenous organizations as well as the paramedics throughout the week, and they go out to where we see a lot of homelessness and people in need,” said Stevens. “So she’ll go out there and bring people some basic needs like small snacks, blankets, basic hygiene products, a coat and other things like that. She also goes a little bit further and visits encampments to connect with people out there and offers some warm support and guidance, and to see if we can help get them connected with any services.”
“We also have Chris who runs our outreach window at our main office,” she continued. “That’s where folks can come in, and we can provide them with a small food provision, basic clothing or a clean change of clothes. We also have little hygiene kits made up and sometimes even hand warmers, just whatever donations allow for at that time because it changes from day to day, but a little really goes a long way here.”
Stevens also said that BNH is always happy to receive any non-perishable items for its food pantry.
“We’re always looking to replenish our snack supply, so things like hot chocolate, oatmeal, school snacks or even coffee, though, we try to not give out anything that contains peanuts, just to avoid any allergies,” she said. “It’s not even just for the homeless folks either, sometimes we’ll put together pantry bags just to help people in between grocery shops to replenish their cupboards, or help out with school snacks for kids if they need it.”
For those who may have something to donate, you can drop them off at the BNH office at 318 Colborne St., Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Stevens also added that if people have donations but are unable to get the main office, they’re more than welcome to contact her at lacey@brantfordnativehousing.com to arrange a pick up.
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
