Islander donates money, clothes to help Halifax's homeless

For Souris, P.E.I.'s Breanna Ching, the best birthday present she received this year was the opportunity to give back and help those in need.

Rather than buy her gifts for her birthday,Chingasked her friends and family to provide money and clothing donations to help Halifax's homeless people. In total, she received $225 and about 400 items of clothing. The donations were not only from friends and family, but also professors and people she has never met before.

"The Maritimes is such an amazing place and to be able to make it just a little bit better is really awesome,"said Ching, a fourth-year student at Dalhousie University in Halifax, who turned 21 about a month ago.

• Islander asking for donations for Halifax homeless instead of birthday gifts

Before dropping off the donations to three homeless shelters, Ching visited some street people to see if they needed anything. One man cried when she gave him a new pair of shoes, she said.

"The solesof his shoes were completely worn out and he was actually getting frostbite on his feet,"saidChing.

She then dropped off the donations to the Salvation Army, Metro Turning Point and the Souls Harbour Rescue Mission, which was given the bulk of the donations.

This is the fourth year Ching has asked people to forgo buying her birthday gifts and instead provide donations. In previous years, she has received money and toys to donate to the IWK Health Centre in Halifax.

But after spending time with homeless people in Halifax,Ching decided to help them out this year. The initiative has also inspired Chingto apply to Dalhousie's School of Social Work.

She's also planning to help out Halifax's homeless again for her next birthday.

"I learned a lot in doing it and having conversations and really immersing myself in [the] downtown where there is a lot of need,"she said.

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