During the past month the Rotary Club of Southampton has distributed $15,540 from its share of the proceeds raised through the 2026 Coldest Night of the Year walk, held in partnership with the United Way of Bruce Grey.
The funds are being shared among local and regional organizations that provide food, shelter, clothing, mental-health resources and emergency assistance to vulnerable individuals and families.
The distributions include:
• $4,000 shared equally among four local food banks: the Salvation Army, the Living Hope Food Bank, St. Vincent de Paul and the Saugeen First Nation food bank
• $1,040 to Around the Table Soup Kitchen
• $3,500 to the YMCA Critical Needs Stabilization Fund
• $3,500 to Kabaeshiwan Respite Shelter
• $3,500 to the Canadian Mental Health Association Grey Bruce
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The YMCA Critical Needs Stabilization Fund assists people with urgent expenses such as medications, identification-document fees, emergency phone minutes, transportation, essential clothing, backpacks and work equipment. Kabaeshiwan Respite Shelter provides services including meals, drinking water, clothing and temporary warm beds, while the Canadian Mental Health Association Grey Bruce will use its contribution to provide hygiene kits.
“The Coldest Night of the Year is a wonderful example of what can be achieved when our community comes together,” said Rotarian June Van Bastelaar, the event chair. “Every walker, donor, sponsor and volunteer played a part in raising these funds and helping organizations that support people during some of the most challenging times in their lives. We are particularly grateful to Gord and Ann MacKay for the hosting the event start and close at Lakeshore Recreation”.
Southampton Rotary thanked the United Way of Bruce Grey, event volunteers, walkers, donors, sponsors and community supporters for helping make the 2026 walk a success and looks forward to helping the cause again in 2027, that will be located in Southampton.
