One Night Without Sleep. Standing With Our Community.

I have participated in Sleepless For Our Community for several years now, and each time I take part, the experience stays with me long after the night ends.

Every year, it serves as a quiet but powerful reminder of how many people in Halton and Hamilton are living with uncertainty, stress, and worry every single day. Not for one night, but for weeks, months, and often years.

When I spend the night in my car, I know I am choosing discomfort. I also know that I can return to warmth and stability in the morning. Many in our community do not have that choice. That reality is what brings me back to this event year after year.

I want to be honest. I cannot truly understand what it is like to live in poverty. I have not had to decide between paying rent or buying groceries. I have not experienced the constant anxiety that comes with not knowing if housing will be secure or food will last until the end of the month.

But I can listen. I can learn. And I can use my voice and my actions to stand alongside those who are facing these challenges every day.

Across Halton and Hamilton, financial strain is becoming more common and more visible. Families who were once getting by are now falling behind. Rising housing costs, higher grocery prices, and stagnant wages are forcing people into impossible choices. That pressure does not stop at finances. It affects mental health, family stability, and a person’s sense of dignity and belonging.

Housing insecurity and chronic poverty are deeply connected. When someone does not know where they will sleep next month, or next week, it becomes nearly impossible to focus on work, school, or well-being. Over time, this instability can lead to isolation, anxiety, and long-term hardship that is difficult to escape without meaningful support.

This is why Sleepless For Our Community matters.

This event is not about simulating poverty or homelessness. It is an act of solidarity. It is about acknowledging the reality faced by our neighbours and choosing not to look away. It is about starting honest conversations and raising the funds needed to support real solutions already at work in our community.

The funds raised through Sleepless For Our Community support local agency programs that are responding right now to urgent needs. These programs provide housing support, food security, mental health services, financial literacy, and job readiness programs. They also support children and youth who are growing up in poverty, helping ensure they have the stability and opportunity every child deserves.

These services are delivered by dedicated frontline workers and community organizations who meet people where they are, with compassion and respect. They help individuals and families move toward stability, step by step.

Each year I participate because I believe awareness must lead to action. And there are many ways to take that action.

How can you help? Some people choose to register and spend the night in their vehicle, helping raise critical funds and start important conversations. Others support the event by making a donation, knowing that every contribution helps sustain programs that change lives. Many choose to sponsor a Sleepless participant, amplifying their impact and showing that they are not alone in this effort. And sometimes, taking action simply means sharing this message, helping raise awareness so more people understand what is happening in our community and how they can help.

However you choose to get involved, your support matters.

One night without sleep will not solve poverty. But together, our collective action can ease the burden, strengthen our network of support, and bring hope to people who need it most.

This is how we show up for our community. This is how we turn care into action. Join me on February 20, and let’s raise critical funds to support our neighbours in need. Click here to learn more about Sleepless For Our Community.