Homelessness is a very real issue across the country and right here in Norfolk County.
That was made apparent recently after a Simcoe man went out of his way to try and provide a little bit of shelter during last week’s heavy rain event.
Ward Taylor has been making it a habit to go around Downtown Simcoe and hand out water and other supplies to those who may need it – but recently he’s seen more people actively sleeping out in public.
One of the men who he talked to frequently said he thought that rain was coming, and a quick check of the radar map proved he was right.
Taylor didn’t know what to do to help these individuals sleeping out in the open with the heavy heaping of rain on the way, so he went online asking for donations of tents to at least keep them dry.
Taylor said he is hopeful that more acknowledgement is put on people in our community without a place to stay as we get deeper into fall.
Right now, just from the regular people he sees downtown, he runs into several familiar faces without a place to stay every week.
With that, he realizes the amount of homeless individuals he sees is likely lower than what there actually is in the area.
He said this recent outpouring of kindness from the community, who donated items to Taylor to give out after he requested tents, meant the world to them but ultimately they were back to square one.
He said his big goal is finding some solution for these men and women to have shelter, even if only for the winter months, while a long-term solution is sought.
This group was stationed at a church and then closer to downtown Simcoe with tents before police were called in and they were told to leave.
Right now, Taylor says these men and women are scattered around town without a place to stay
