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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Charity begins on the streets

Students learn lesson by going homeless

By: Geoff Kirbyson

Posted: 03/14/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

Blaire Hamilton, Jeff Lloyd, Kelsey Noakes and Nico Villanueva will live as homeless people for five days at University Centre at U of M. (BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS )

FOR Nico Villanueva, furniture shopping used to mean walking into big-box stores and being served by eager salespeople on commission. Last week, he scoured back lanes searching for cardboard that could be made into a bed.

The University of Manitoba commerce student is preparing to join three fellow students from the I. H. Asper School of Business in living as homeless people for five days next week. They'll sleep outside, beg for food and not shower, all essential elements of their participation in Five Days for the Homeless, a charity designed to raise money and awareness of homeless people across Canada.

Villanueva, 22, who will be accompanied by Jeff Lloyd, Kelsey Noakes and Blaire Hamilton, will also maintain a full academic schedule. He said he feels sorry for the student who sits beside him in accounting or human resources management.

"We'll be wearing the same orange shirts that identify us as homeless people (all week). It will be up to our discretion how often we change clothes. To make it as realistic as possible, we won't be changing our clothes every day. We'll probably be wearing the same things over and over again," he said.

"We'll be warning people about potential body odours. Maybe (classmates) could donate a stick of deodorant?"

The quartet will set up their "beds" near University Centre beginning Sunday at 5 p.m. and they'll stay there for the next 120 hours, minus time spent in class and studying. They'll each be equipped with a sleeping bag and a pillow, either of which can be exchanged for food in case of a nutritional emergency. They're not allowed to be inside a building from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. and they'll give up their cellphones for social purposes and online networking sites, such as Facebook. They will, however, have one cellphone for safety.

In case of bathroom emergencies, the students will have access to the University Centre, which is open 24 hours a day.

Villanueva, who admits to camping "two or three times" in his life, is preparing for a shock to his system.

"Growing up, I always had a roof over my head and my parents gave me food and the basics to have a safe life. I thought (Five Days for the Homeless) could be a sobering experience and make me a little more grateful for what I have," he said.

Noakes said donations can be made at five sites on campus but none of the students is allowed to accept cash donations or non-perishable food.

"Food and water has to be given to us directly. A sandwich has to be pre-made, we can't go buy one," she said.

Noakes said she's expecting a gruelling week but knows it's nothing compared to what the nearly 10,000 homeless people in Winnipeg go through.

Peter Siamandas, public relations and marketing co-ordinator for the local Five Days for the Homeless campaign, said the proceeds raised by the quartet will be donated to Resource Assistance for Youth, a downtown drop-in centre helping young people between the ages of 15 and 30 who have had difficult lives, including involvement in gangs, prostitution and addictions to drugs or alcohol. RAY provides food, medical supplies and counselling services.

Five Days for the Homeless was started by the University of Alberta four years ago. This year, 16 schools across the country are participating. The four U of M students hope to raise $5,000. Thus far, $375 has been donated to the cause.

geoff.kirbyson@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 14, 2009 B1

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