Executive Director of the Agape Alyssa Blais answers five questions about the Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser for the Agape Centre.

1 – WHAT IS THE COLDEST NIGHT?
The Coldest Night of the Year is a fantastically fun, family-friendly walking fundraiser that raises money for the hungry, homeless and hurting in 65 communities across Canada. The 2, 5 and 10km WALK is held on Saturday, February 22rd, 2014, and provides participants the opportunity to experience a hint of the challenges faced by those living in poverty while raising much needed revenue for the Agapè Centre Since 2011 the Coldest Night of the Year has raised $2.4 million dollars through the
tireless efforts of each of our well known and well respected location partners (charities).

2 – WHO IS BEHIND THE EVENT ?
The Coldest Night of the Year is operated by Blue Sea Philanthropy, (BSP), a registered Canadian public foundation. Their primary goal is to help Canadian charities thrive financially and they do this by operating successful events like the Coldest Night of the Year.

3 – HOW DID IT GET STARTED IN CORNWALL?
Last year, Mika Takamaki from Coldest Night of the Year approached the Agapè Centre to get involved in the walk. The Coldest Night of the Year partners with these selected organizations to support the work they do to bring hope, help and education to those on the margins in their town or city, in the cold winter months when giving is scarce and resources are dwindling. Seeing the success of the event with other food banks around Canada, we felt it was a perfect fit for the Agapè Centre. The people the Agapè Centre serves are more than a list of statistics, problems, symptoms and circumstances. The “hungry, homeless and hurting” is a wide brush stroke
that represents the individuals who benefit from the money raised through the Coldest Night of the Year. The people who receive assistance through the funds raised through the WALK include those struggling with:

• living at or below the poverty line
• addictions or substance abuse
• community and social support
• race or gender discrimination
• access to adequate housing
• access to adequate food
• access to employment
• mental health issues

The Agapè Centre is very excited to be walking with other teams across Canada.

4 – HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?
To accomplish Agapè’s goal, we are looking for 50 team captains (of all shapes, sizes and ages) who will recruit 7-8 friends to their team, with a goal of raising $2000 per team. Of course, we’re also looking for a whole pile of walkers to join each of our teams and help us raise the funds. The Agapè Centre is hosting the WALK, which begins at 5:15pm, at 40 Fifth Street West, Cornwall. Between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm, a warm light meal will be served to all walkers and volunteers. Your involvement in this walk impacts hundreds of lives in a positive way, helping build a bright future that once seemed out of reach.

You can get involved by:
• Registering to Walk
• Joining a Team
• Become a Team Captain

Visit coldestnightoftheyear.org and click the blue START A TEAM button under the logo or click the blue REGISTER TO WALK button under the logo TOQUE BONUS: Every walker who raises either $75 (youth 17 and under) or $150 (for adults) gets our famous Coldest Night toque!

5 – HOW CAN I DONATE?
There are many ways to donate directly to Agapè. You can call 613.937.9297 and donate over the phone. Click “Donate Now” at www.agapecentre.ca . Make a cheque payable to: The Agapè Centre and mail it to: 40 Fifth Street West, Cornwall ON K6J 2T4