Being back in school at the University of Winnipeg means that all of us, students and staff alike, spend a large portion of our day downtown.

Having the university situated in such a central location has many perks, such as a variety of restaurants and coffee shops; nearby shopping; and, of course, several bars and pubs within walking distance.

However, being downtown also means we frequently interact with panhandling. This more often than not makes most of us quickly shuffle past, pretend we don’t notice, or spare a bit of change, hoping it goes to a worthwhile cause.

People I have talked to have come up with innovative alternatives to these typical interactions, such as carrying an extra granola bar to give to the panhandlers.

All of the alternatives have obvious limitations and are more of an incremental response to homelessness rather than a proactive step in tackling the endemic issue.

However, it was recently brought to my attention that a sustainable solution to homelessness is being offered through a campaign called Change for the Better.

Change for the Better is an initiative launched by the Downtown BIZ in an effort to address homelessness through meaningful employment.

The concept is fairly simple: 100 per cent of all donations the Downtown BIZ receives go straight into employment programs for people on the street.

One of the chief recipients is Mission: Off the Streets Team (MOST), a program run by Siloam Mission that employs homeless people to help revitalize the downtown. MOST has proven itself to be a successful program, currently employing over 65 homeless or previously homeless people.

Change for the Better is not a new program – it has been in operation since 1992 – but the program itself is changing for the better.

“ The reason I write this article now on Change for the Better is because the program itself is changing for the better.

Alongside the goal of raising general awareness about homelessness issues in Winnipeg, the organization has the financial goal of raising $100,000 for the cause in one day. Consider the fact that Change for the Better has raised $100,000 since its start in 1992.

So, what is this ambitious event? Well it is a sleep-out of 35 of Winnipeg’s CEOs.

That’s right, 35 CEOs have agreed to spend one night sleeping on the streets, in an attempt to raise awareness and funds for Winnipeg’s homeless.

Included in the list of participants are John Corlett, our vice-president academic; Rob Johnston, the regional president of the Royal Bank of Canada; Art Defehr, CEO of Palliser Furniture; and Lana Hastings, our vice-president of student services. You can find the complete list at www.changeforthebetter.org.

This type of event has never been done in Canada, but is modelled after a similar event that took place in Australia. The sleep-out in Australia raised $4.9 million and included 1,000 CEOs. This could just be the start for Winnipeg!

The CEO sleep-out kicks off at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29, at 201 Portage Ave. During the day there will be live music and entertainment, and a complimentary breakfast will be provided by our very own Diversity Foods Inc.

The masterminds of this campaign are Stefano Grande, executive director of the Downtown BIZ, and our former UWSA president Jason Syvixay.

The fact of the matter is that Winnipeg has at any one time between 1,500 and 2,000 people without shelter. As the Downtown BIZ slogan states, we need to “give a hand up, not a hand out.”

Hopefully this event will be the catalyst of future campaigns. It has the potential to make a significant long-term impact on addressing homelessness issues in Winnipeg.

There is already a strong U of W involvement, so don’t hesitate to attend the event and donate to the campaign. Let’s all do our part to make the downtown a better place to live, work and study.

Luke Hildebrand is a second-year student studying politics and economics.

Published in Volume 66, Number 4 of The Uniter (September 22, 2011)