The Aurora Legion is making an effort to connect more with the greater community, starting with a $6,000 donation to Inn From the Cold on Dec. 30.
Representatives from the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 385 Aurora visited Inn From the Cold to donate the funds, raised via bingo events throughout the year.
Treasurer Claude Arcand said it fits into the legion’s mission statement of supporting veterans.
“We want to support veterans in all situations of their life, and sometimes they fall on hard times,” he said. “The Inn From the Cold supports the community as a whole in terms of people who fail on hard times and need help.”
The funds were raised via charitable bingo events done at Bingo World and Gaming Richmond Hill. regulated by the Alcohol Gaming Commission of Ontario.
It is the first time Aurora’s legion branch is making a donation like this, Arcand said. He said this is an effort to connect to other organizations.
“We’re starting something new,” Arcand said. “The legion, for a long time, has been perceived as an inward-looking organization … not interested in the outside world. I feel that it’s important that as a legion, that we be open to the community and all its aspects. This is one particular fashion, (in) which I believe we can do a big splash.”
He added that they plan to donate to other organizations as well, along with making quarterly payments to Inn From the Cold.
Executive director Ann Watson said the donation is well appreciated, with donations after Christmas a bit harder to come by. She said they try to fundraise throughout the winter, with its support a night campaign.
“This time of year, especially after the holidays, it’s kind of a struggle to keep the momentum going,” she said. “This is a great little burst of energy for the end of the year …. It’s amazing to know that there are people in the community who still think about people experiencing homelessness.”
Homelessness has been rising in York Region and the province. Watson said Inn From the Cold is working to try to ensure people have the right support in place to get out of experiencing homelessness successfully.
“Even though the need is increasing, I do feel like it’s forcing us to be a little smarter and more creative, really get back to the nuts and bolts of what people need to have success in housing,” Watson said. “We’re really trying to think about how to do it and how to get people housed over the longer term because that’s why we’re here.”
