An anonymous client of Thunder Bay Shelter House has donated $10,000 to the Street Outreach Services program, calling it a vital service.

THUNDER BAY - A man who has next to nothing has given away nearly everything to help some of the most vulnerable people in the community.

A client of the Thunder Bay Shelter House recently donated $10,000 to Street Outreach Services program.

“He wanted to help out in any way he can to make sure his friends were safe and he was just incredibly proud that he is in a position that he can help, too,” said Alexandra Calderon, development officer with the Thunder Bay Shelter House.

The man received the money as part of his residential school settlement and would like to remain anonymous.

According to Calderon, the man heard of Matawa’s First Nations Tribal Council donating $10,000 toward the program and Matawa CEO David Paul Achneepineskum’s call on the community to step up and help save the program.

Calderon said staff at Shelter House tried to return the cheque, knowing how much the man needed the money, but he insisted, wanting to ensure his friends would be kept safe with the help of the SOS program.

“We were floored,” Calderon said. “Everyone had tears in their eyes, we were all crying, he was crying. He was so moved by how grateful we were and he was just so happy to be able to help his people and match David Paul’s donation. It was incredibly moving and incredibly inspiring.”

The SOS program helps take Shelter House Services into the community by providing food, blankets, transportation, and harm reduction tools to people living on the streets. Last year it provided 4,923 rides and gave out 21,696 amenities.

However, the program was suspended after running into a $200,000 shortfall earlier this year. Shortly after, a fundraising campaign was launched to raise the money to get the program up and running again. There is enough funding to offer the program during the winter and it is expected to return in November, but the goal is to offer the service all year round.

“Everyone from the EMS to the police, everyone just loves the program and knows how important it is but unfortunately we just haven’t gotten the momentum that we need to restart this program as quickly as possible,” Calderon said.

So far, nearly $75,000 has been raised and another $25,000 is expected from the Mayor’s Mulligan Golf Tournament in August. But Calderon said every donation goes a long way to getting this vital program up and running again, and she is very thankful for everyone’s support, especially those with so little who give so much.

“I think when you see someone who has nothing giving everything they have for the program, I think that is going to move and inspire a lot of people,” she said. “Even those $5 or $10 donations, kids who donate their birthday money instead of asking for gifts, all of that makes an incredible difference.”