‘Wall of Kindness’ sees over 1,000 coats donated

This fall, Renaissance and the Old Brewery Mission appealed to Montrealers to hang a winter coat on a ‘Wall of Kindness,’ and give a little warmth to people in need.

The public responded generously, with over 1,000 coats and 300 of those were distributed at the women’s pavilion of the Old Brewery Mission on Monday.

“I love it, it’s very warm, it’s something that I needed,” said Victoria, a client of the Old Brewery Mission. “I feel lucky.”

The walls were set up at Iberville and Masson, and another at Sainte-Catherine and Bourbonnière.

“Hundreds and hundreds of coats were being hung on the wall and now we’re giving those coats today, not just for women, but for men as well. But we’re doing it here at the [Old Brewery Mission’s] women’s pavilion, just to put a bit of a spotlight on women’s homelessness, because it is going up and it needs to be recognized as an ongoing challenge as well,” said James Hughes, President and CEO of Old Brewery Mission.

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The project ran until November 27th – when Renaissance collected the winter coats and gave them to the Old Brewery Mission to distribute.

“It’s a Canadian winter. It’s going to be very cold. We have had deaths in the past. We can’t get through winter, you, me, or anybody else, without a winter coat,” explained Hughes. “If you’re in a situation of homelessness, you’re very mobile, you’re outside a lot, you need a great coat, so we now have an inventory of coats to try to help more people than we ever had before to get through a cold Canadian winter.”

The ‘Wall of Kindness’ concept was born in the Middle East in 2015 and has spread around the world.

“Homelessness is going up, but the number of resources that we have is not really going up very quickly in this housing crisis,” added Hughes. “So it’s going to be a tough winter. So the coats are very, very helpful. And a big message I want to make to Montreal is, just keeps your eyes open for any homeless person that may be in distress, call 911 if you see.”

Hughes says they don’t just need coats, but hats, gloves, boots, and undergarments.

“We live and die on the donations of Montrealers. So financial donations, if you can think of finding a way to include us in your donation giving this year, we’d be very, very thankful – and for all the other organizations that need your support as well. Please put your hand up to fight homelessness.”