As the seasons change, so do the needs of Edmonton’s homeless population and several groups have been looking for ways to help those in need cope with the changing seasons.
“We have literally had kids walk into my office with hundreds of mosquito bites and I’ve had to take them to the hospital because they are so serious,” Edmonton-area youth worker Mark Cherrington told CTV News.
He added that the problem was very preventable, if the organizations had the donations they need.
Cherrington has taken the conversation to social media, even asking the Edmonton International Airport to donate items seized from travellers.
The big issue developing #yeg is the growing need for mosquito repellent. Homeless children and youth need this stuff.
— Mark Cherrington (@MarkCherrington) May 23, 2014
@MarkCherrington @yegfoodbank @capitalfm @joshclassenCTV @HopeMission @iHumanYouth T/Y Mark. Bug spray would be really nice to have on hand.
— Bissell Centre (@BissellCentre) May 24, 2014
“There's a great need for toiletries and items quite often that people bring with them when they go traveling then find out that they can't take onto an airplane,” Cherrington explained.
However a spokesperson with the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) said that though it was a good idea they were concerned about repercussions.
“We just can't verify every single bottle that we intercept to make sure that it is indeed harmless and it is indeed bug spray or shampoo or water,” CATSA’s Mathieu Larocque explained.
Cherrington said he hoped that Edmontonians would be able to step up with donations to organizations around the city to help those in need.
“When you are looking at $8 to $12 for one item, many single moms and many single parents just can’t afford things like bug spray and sun screen.”
With files from Amanda Anderson
