By Stuart Mann
As the temperature plunged for a second time this winter, about 60 people, including some City of Toronto councillors, gathered at the homeless memorial outside Holy Trinity, Trinity Square on Jan. 13 to remember the men and women who have died on the city’s streets. The service included a moment of silence, a poem and a song. “It’s not okay that our friends, our brothers and our sisters are dying without a place to call home,” said Greg Cook, one of the organizers. He read out the names of 19 homeless people who died in 2014 and three who have died in 2015. Two men died last week during the city’s first cold snap, prompting social justice advocates to call for earlier cold weather alerts, more shelter beds and more affordable housing. The service at Holy Trinity, which is located behind the Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto, is held at noon on the second Tuesday of each month. The memorial lists the names of more than 700 people, many referred to simply as Jane or John Doe.
For related story, see Anglicans Speak Out, Take Action For Homeless During Cold Spell. Learn about the Diocese’s Social Justice and Advocacy initiatives.
