An urgent volunteer effort mobilized in North York this weekend to deliver critical aid to people experiencing homelessness across the Greater Toronto Area, just as a severe cold snap grips the city.
27th Annual Lifeline for the Vulnerable
On Saturday, January 17, 2026, a dedicated group of volunteers transformed a warehouse into a hub of compassion for the 27th annual Engage and Change’s Project Winter Survival program. Their mission was clear: pack and distribute 3,500 winter survival kits to provide a literal lifeline for those living on the streets during Canada's harshest season.
The timing of the event is critical, with Toronto facing another bout of dangerously low temperatures this week. Jody Steinhauer, the founder of Project Winter Survival, expressed a somber reality. "It is deeply disturbing to me that after 27 years of providing lifesaving essentials to the homeless and less fortunate, we continue to find ourselves struggling against insurmountable odds," Steinhauer stated during the event.
Staggering Need and Life-Saving Contents
The scale of the need is overwhelming. According to the organization, more than 15,500 people in the GTA are experiencing homelessness or homeless-like conditions, with an average of three deaths per week reported within this vulnerable population during winter.
The survival kits, each funded by a $75 donation, are meticulously packed with essential items designed for extreme cold. Every backpack contains:
- A sleeping bag
- A toque, scarf, and winter gloves
- Thermal socks
- A thermal reusable mug
- Various personal and healthcare items
"The growing plight of our city’s homeless goes from critical to deadly during the volatile winter season," Steinhauer emphasized, noting that the backpacks would be "on the streets within hours" and could represent "the difference between life and death" for someone unable to find shelter.
Community and Police Rally to Support
The packing effort saw support from across the community, including officers from the Toronto Police Service's 13 Division. Inspector Lisabet Benoit highlighted the practical value of the kits for frontline work. "My officers can go back to our station and know that we have these backpacks... we’re able to put them into the hands of vulnerable members of our community who need them at that time," Benoit explained.
The 3,500 kits packed on Saturday are destined for over 145 social service agencies, homeless shelters, and outreach programs across the GTA and surrounding regions for immediate distribution.
Since its grassroots beginnings in 1999, Project Winter Survival has now assembled and distributed more than 50,000 survival kits. Steinhauer concluded with a poignant reminder of the human crisis behind the statistics: "We do not want to be doing this. Nobody chooses to be homeless. Nobody chooses to be unhoused."
For those looking to contribute or learn more about the ongoing mission, information is available at engageandchange.org.
