Housing Day
Appreciating the simple comforts of a warm, safe shelter is a reminder of life's blessings and the importance of gratitude.
Position your organization as a housing-solutions advocate during Housing Day to build brand trust and drive awareness of homelessness as a systemic issue, not a moral failing.
- Myth-busting campaign: debunk stereotypes about homelessness with data-driven storytelling
- Partner with nonprofits to highlight housing-first initiatives and success stories
- Employee volunteer spotlights: showcase staff involvement in shelter support or housing programs
- Policy advocacy angle: position your brand as supporting systemic housing solutions
Housing Day first appeared in 1998 with the determination to establish homelessness as a national disaster. The mayors of the largest cities in Canada—including Toronto mayor, Mel Lastman—made a declaration, adopted from the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee, to formally recognize homelessness not as a criminal issue, but as the national disaster and threat to the people of Canada it truly is. Like every person in the world, every Canadian has a right to a safe home.
There is a common misconception that the majority of the homeless population are those who simply don’t want to work, an idea that has been debunked by statistics. In the US 25% of those who are homeless are those who suffer from mental illness of one variety or another, 13% are those fleeing domestic violence in their homes, choosing life on the streets versus living with their abusers.
Tragically, 12% of them are veterans of their armed forces, largely abandoned by the system once they leave active duty. Even more tragically, of those who live on the streets, 238,000 of them are members of family, many of whom live homeless together either on the road, or in places where those without residences gather, including shelters.