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Coldest Night of the Year walk raises nearly $88,000 for local homeless shelter
March 5, 2026 · 0 Comments
By Brian Lockhart
The Coldest Night of the Year walk, hosted by S.H.I.F.T., took place in Alliston on Friday, Feb. 28, beginning at Alliston Memorial Arena and winding through the streets of town.
Held at locations across the country, the Coldest Night of the Year is a fun, family-friendly fundraising walk in support of local charity partners who provide essential care and service for people experiencing homelessness, hurt, and hunger.
The walk is held in February to remind people what it’s like for a person experiencing homelessness to be out in the cold during the winter months.
In Alliston, 245 people from 44 teams, supported by 58 volunteers, met at the Arena before bundling up and heading out for the walk, led by Rory McKinnon and his bagpipes.
S.H.I.F.T. executive director Jenifer Pergentile thanked the supporters and sponsors who made the walk possible.
She started her welcome by quoting anthropologist Margaret Mead.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens, can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has,” Jenifer said.
She continued, “Every little bit counts, and everything you’ve done to be here today helps us, and helps the people we serve here in South Simcoe to make a change.”
S.H.I.F.T. was founded in 2017, with the goal of addressing urgent, unmet needs for people who are homeless or at-risk, as well as people facing food insecurity.
“We operate a daytime drop-in centre and a homeless shelter here in Alliston,” Pergentile explained. “It’s an emergency shelter for those who have no alternatives. We have an outreach team who are out in all of South Simcoe supporting those who are living precariously and experiencing homelessness and the challenges that are related to poverty.”
S.H.I.F.T. helped over 700 individuals in 2025 with over 20,000 interactions and provided 2,500 nights of safety in their shelter. In addition, they help individuals find housing.
As of press time, $87,815 had been raised toward a final goal of $100,000.
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