Red Coats' outreach ramps up during extreme winter weather in Sudbury

With the frigid temperatures and snowy weather we've seen recently in northern Ontario, it's hard to imagine not having a warm bed or a roof overhead.

But there are individuals who sleep outside, instead of seeking a bed at one of the local shelters.

In Sudbury, there is team known as the Red Coats, who are part of the outreach services from l'association des jeunes de la rue.

They travel around helping individuals who may be homeless or exposed to the elements.

"I've come into contact with people who are in T-shirts or just sweaters and it's minus 40 outside with windchill, and it's very cold," coordinator Tiffany Taylor said.

Taylor and another outreach worker cab spend four hours a night walking around the downtown core searching for anyone who may be without housing, or in need of support.

That walking portion of the outreach service is a year-round activity. But when the winter weather arrives, l'association des jeunes du la rue offers other emergency-type services, particularly when Sudbury's Homelessness Network issues an Extreme Cold Weather Alert.

Those alerts trigger emergency measures over a 24-hour time period, to help the homeless or those dealing with low temperatures in their homes, by opening warming stations.

One of those measures is an outreach van operated by L'association des jeaune du la rue, which drives around the city core between 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.

70 Extreme Cold Weather Alerts during 2018-2019 Winter

So far, the outreach van has been out three times, as the city issued Extreme Cold Weather Alerts on November 10, 11 and 12.

The outreach van is funded on a per diem basis on nights an alert is called. There were 70 of these alerts issued during the winter of 2018-2019.

Two Red Coats drive around overnight in the outreach van transporting people to warming stations or shelters, or they will offer jackets, mitts or socks to those who don't want to leave their outdoor location.

"Often times we'll offer the individual some support and to come into the van, if they would like to. And if they don't, [then] how can we provide support to them," Taylor said.

The van is stocked with winter jackets, hats, mitts, socks and even blankets. Taylor says when the workers do their walking outreach they have backpacks filled with similar items.

All of these items have been donated to the agency. Donations can be made at the l'association des jeunes du la rue's location at 307 Cedar Street.

According to Taylor, socks tend to be the most frequent item handed out when the weather is cold.

"Honestly, a pair of socks, you don't think it can go a long way, but it really does, especially when people are walking on their feet all day long, wearing the same shoes over and over again, their boots getting wet."

However more than just providing for basic needs, Taylor says it's the communication element that allows the outreach workers to build rapport with those they meet regularly.

"The people that we work with are beautiful souls. Everybody is unique. Everybody has a story and unfortunately sometimes circumstances don't necessarily allow people to see what's beneath the surface," she said.

"This could be your brother, it could be a sister, a cousin"

Taylor has been with l'association des jeunes du la rue for the past six winters and says it's that human connection that she loves best about the work she does.

"It's a privilege and an honour to get to hear what I hear in a day and to be able to build connections with people. Human connection is a beautiful thing."

As for advice for those who don't work with the marginalized population, Taylor suggests taking a warm-hearted, kindly approach.

"This could be your brother, it could be a sister, a cousin, just because someone has a different life circumstance than you do doesn't make them any less of a person."