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Pictured (L to R): Duncan Forbes, Molly Scott (a "guest sleeper"), Breanne Beckett, Maddie Toohey, Katie Flanagan.
Not pictured: Devon Bates and Hima Merdan.

The last night was the worst, confirmed Breanne Beckett. Temperatures dipped to 鈥�28C with wind chill last Thursday night as Breanne and six other Commerce students huddled under a tarp outside the Rowe Building. The students had been sleeping outside since the previous Sunday for the 5 Days for the Homeless campaign. 鈥淲e had some volunteers drop off extra blankets,鈥� said Breanne, chairperson of the 黄色直播 Commerce Society and one of the main organizers of the campaign. 鈥淲e arranged the tarp as best we could and just supported each other.鈥�

began at the University of Alberta in 2005 and has spread across the country. This year, students from 26 universities participated, including 黄色直播鈥攖he only school east of Montreal to take part. This is the second year the Commerce Society has hosted the event. Six students鈥擠evon Bates, Breanne Beckett, Katie Flanagan, Duncan Forbes, Hima Merdan and Maddie Toohey鈥攎ade up the core group, with a different 鈥済uest sleeper鈥� joining them each night. The goal of the campaign was twofold: to increase awareness of the plight of the homeless and those at risk of becoming so, and to raise funds for .

The students succeeded on both counts. 鈥淲e鈥檝e had so many supporters sharing their story, lots of people approaching us and starting a conversation about homelessness,鈥� explains Breanne, 鈥渁nd that was one of our goals, to start the conversation and have the community continue it.鈥� Breanne revealed that the project had also raised awareness in the students themselves. She described the experience, and particularly hearing the stories of those who have been homeless, as humbling. 鈥淚t takes a lot of courage for those people to bring their stories forward and share them with us,鈥� Breanne reflected. 鈥淲hat we鈥檙e trying to do is break the stigma of homelessness and break the discomfort of that conversation. Those people, just by stepping up, are doing that in such a courageous way. We obviously can鈥檛 relate.鈥� After their week in the cold, Breanne said, all of the students see their community differently.

The students also succeeded in their goal to raise funds. At the closing ceremony, they presented a 鈥渃heque鈥� for $7,749 to Carol Anne Smith, Melanie Sturk and Amanda MacDonald from Phoenix and, since then, donations have continued online, now totalling $9,190. The students were proud to help Phoenix, whose mission to support homeless and at-risk youth in and around Halifax suited the mandate of 5 Days perfectly. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 best about Phoenix is that they do a whole spectrum of services鈥︹�� said Breanne. 鈥淜nowing that there are organizations like that that help people in the real situation鈥�that鈥檚 humbling.鈥� Breanne described her thoughts on the last night of the campaign: 鈥淭here鈥檝e been so many people cheering us on, saying 鈥榠t鈥檚 just a few more hours.鈥� But who鈥檚 saying that for those for whom there鈥檚 no end in sight? ... Last night got me thinking, we get to end this experience, but it doesn鈥檛 end without the right supports.鈥� Breanne said she can definitely see herself contributing more to these supports in the future. In the meantime, she will never again pass those asking for change in the street without a greeting. Explained Breanne, 鈥淲e need society to treat homeless people as people.鈥�

Donations to 5 Days for the Homeless can be made at until March 31.