Engage and Change-Press Release Project Water 2019

MEDIA ALERT
DEATH SHOWS NO MERCY TO GTA HOMELESS

TORONTO – JUNE 10, 2019 – The numbers are staggering. On any given night, over 9,200 people in Toronto are homeless. In 2018, 91 deaths were reported among the city’s homeless community, putting the death rate among this most vulnerable group at an average of 1.8 deaths per week. The GTA is facing an insurmountable humanitarian crisis of epic proportions that continues to be placated by official attempts at band-aid solutions. In a city recently named one of the best in the world to live in, affordable housing remains an oxymoron for this faction and shelter beds are at a premium. The call to action is NOW to save the lives of those in need. While the loss of life among our homeless is an ongoing concern that comprises all demographic characteristics, something as simple as clean drinking water remains a scarce commodity for relief agencies and outreach programs that provide aid to those living in shelters and on our city streets.
In an insurmountable act of compassion, community-minded sponsors Nestlé Waters Canada; Fortigo Freight Services; RIMS Transport; The Bargains Group; Home Depot; Toronto Police Service 13 Division; and over 100 volunteers of the 20th Annual Project Water – an Engage and Change initiative to provide bottled water to those in need, will arm 150+ social service agencies, outreach providers and homeless shelters with an excess of 300,000 Nestlé water bottles and 3,000 summer survival kits in an effort to provide life saving resources to the homeless in extreme summer weather conditions: Wednesday, June 19th, 2019, care of The Bargains Group, 890 Caledonia Road, 9:30 am.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO SAVE A LIFE
“Water is the essence of all life and is an invaluable resource to those most vulnerable all year round,” said Jody Steinhauer, founder of Project Water. “However, lack of clean drinking water among those less fortunate takes precedent in the warmer months when the risk of death by dehydration increases significantly due to excessive heat and humidity.” It takes a village to save a life. “We are grateful to our community partners in leading the charge in this ongoing endeavor to help save the lives of those living on our streets and in shelters and encourage all in the GTA community to rally for those whose life expectancy is at risk over something we all take for granted – shelter and clean drinking water.”
Project Water is an Engage and Change program committed to helping those less fortunate endure the hardships of summer by providing such necessities for the needy as: bottled water, a re-usable water bottle, sunscreen, hat, toiletry and first aid items, etc. Since its inception in 2000, Project Water has placed in excess of 2 million bottles of water into the hands of Toronto and surrounding area homeless. For more information or to make a donation, visit www.engageandchange.org.
-30-

MEDIA SCHEDULE: THE BARGAINS GROUP, 890 CALEDONIA ROAD, TORONTO
10:000 am – Pack to commence
12:00 pm – Press Conference
12:30 pm – Agency Pick-up
Time TBD – Outreach to the homeless in the downtown core
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Jody Steinhauer, Founder of Engage and Change, 416-785-5655 or [email protected] Francisca Gambino, francis G communications, 416-432-4599 or [email protected]