Dozens of Montrealers were out giving socks and gift cards to the homeless on Sunday, the brain-child of a woman that knows first-hand the struggles of street living.
“When I lived on the street, I didn’t even know I was homeless until I got clean,” recalled Doreen Merriman. “When I got clean, I looked back on it and I remember how sad and how Christmas used to be. I used to pray for somebody to give me something to eat.”
So, three years ago she began to raise money with her kids and friends, to buy gift cards and socks for those who, unlike Merriman, are still without a home.
That modest campaign has grown substantially. This year, her group of volunteers had 500 packages bundled together to give out, each complete with either a Tim Horton's or McDonald's gift card, and five pairs of socks.
“It started off with maybe 10 friends and now we’re a good 40 or 50 people out here going to give out stuff,” said Merriman. “When we see the homeless, their face when we give it to them, the appreciation, there’s nothing in the world that can give that feeling. You can’t buy it."
—with files from CTV Montreal