A new community care box containing winter essentials like hats and mitts, as well as other items such as food and feminine hygiene products, has appeared downtown as part of the Welcoming Streets initiative.
Currently there is only one community care box, located on Quebec Street in front of the On the Verge store, said Rachel Vear, downtown peer outreach worker with the Guelph Community Health Centre.
“I know the owner (of the store) and she thought it was a great idea, so I thought we would try out that one and see how it goes. So far it’s been pretty successful,” said Vear by phone on Friday.
When Vear put the box out for the first time about two weeks ago, she filled it with socks, hats, mitts, a coat and some feminine hygiene products from Sanguen Health Centre’s community shares cupboard.
“Just stuff that seemed to be in the most need,” said Vear.
She has refilled it a few times and every time she opens it she finds new items put into the box by members of the community.
“It’s really cool when I open it up and see hats that weren’t there and people are putting in lots of hats and mitts,” she said.
The box can be found outside the On the Verge store during its regular shopping hours.
The items inside the box are intended to be used by people experiencing homelessness, but Vear said everyone is welcome to use it.
“I put a sign on the box saying it’s for everyone, because even if you forget your mitts one day and it’s really cold, just open up the box and take what you need,” she said
Because it is intended for everyone, Vear asks that people use common sense when placing items into the box.
“I think if anyone did something silly like put garbage in there or drug paraphernalia, that would not be good,” she said. “I want it to be a place for all people to access it, including if kids need it. I just want it to be safe for all.”
Items that are welcome to be added to the box include: clean new and used clothing, non-perishable food, feminine hygiene products, hats, mitts and socks, as well as new and packaged undergarments.
Vear hopes the box will promote a culture of community giving.
“Instead of taking all of your items to an organization — which is great — this is just so immediate. You put the stuff in there and it’s ready for anyone to take,” said Vear.
The idea came about after Vear saw a similar box in front of a store in another community.
“(They) had put something outside that had some mittens in it and I thought it was a cool idea and something that could be good for our community,” she said.
The Welcoming Streets initiative was designed to ensure that Downtown Guelph is safe, inclusive and welcoming for all community members.
“Welcoming Streets is all about building relationships between street-involved folks and the businesses, so why not do something super accessible and easy, where businesses are involved, as well as community members?” said Vear.
