Kids Wrap Street Poles with Winter Clothes To Help Keep Homeless Warm

When winter arrives in Canada the cold can be life-threatening to the homeless. Two parents came up with a creative way to help the homeless in their city of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and help teach their daughter and a group of girls about how to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. Wait until you see what these kids did. I love it!

Every year Tara Smith-Atkins holds a coat drive to get donations of warm clothing for the homeless. This year, she and her husband took their daughter and friends and went downtown with a few of their donations.

They hung winter coats, scarves and mittens on street poles for the homeless to take.

They attached a handwritten note to each article of clothing: ‘I am not lost! If you are stuck out in the cold, please take me to keep warm!’

The girls walked around the city and hung the winter wear not just on poles but on signs, trees and benches.

By the end of the day, the children had all gotten something from the experience.

“They definitely learned the importance of it,” Smith-Atkins told CBC News.

“When we got back in the car after an hour on the street, they were all freezing and crying for the heater to be on and complaining because they were cold. And they were bundled up.”

Their activity has also not gone unnoticed. Many people in Halifax took photos and expressed their support of the good deed and images of the coats on poles have gone viral.

Smith-Atkins is already planning next year’s coat drive. She says she might try attaching fast-food gift cards to the coats next year.

What a wonderful way to educate young people about homelessness and help the community at the same time!