Saskatoon man helping homeless keep cool in summer heat
- EFN Staff | July 19, 2018
A Saskatoon man is making it his mission to deliver cold water to the less fortunate on hot and humid summer days.
At the beginning of summer, Ryan McHugh adopted a campaign called #HomelessLivesMatterSK to spread awareness on thinking of the city’s homeless people who struggle in the heated summer days.
“My mom (Judy Pelly) is a cultural advisor for CUMFI and she goes around to the Lighthouse and [other] places. She told what she sees. I seen on TV that a few people had heat strokes,” he said. “My mom explained to me how much need is out there.”
One day, he was driving in the city and saw many people who appeared dehydrated from the scorching weather. It was then that he decided to buy a case of bottled water to hand out after they chilled in the refrigerator for a few hours. He didn’t expect to see so many people take advantage of his free service – which inspired him to continue doing this good deed.
“I went and handed out [water] to people in front of the Lighthouse,” said McHugh. “They all seemed so happy with it and they were all so appreciative.”
After his first day of dropping off water, he decided to use the hashtag #HomelessLivesMatterSK on his social media to bring more attention to this cause.
McHugh also fundraises by cooking Indian tacos and selling them to buy more cases of water. His initiative has spread on social media which has inspired people to donate water and some light snacks to add to his deliveries.
“People started saying ‘come pick up a 24 [case] of water here and there’ then it just snowballed from there,” he said. “People offer to put gas [in my car] for me…people are helping me do what I love doing…it’s been filling my days.”
McHugh’s search for employment had no luck which resulted him being unemployed for a few years now but now he feels he has a purpose and duty to volunteer his free time to replenish people’s thirst. But he not only hands out water to the homeless but to people who look thirsty. He does this a few times a week and on average, he hands out about 200 bottles of water a day driving through the core neighbourhoods, downtown and near the Lighthouse. This consumes most of his day especially when temperatures reach high.
McHugh said someone, who wanted to remain anonymous, donated 15 cases of water and enough for a few bags of oranges as a light snack. With the overflow of water cases, he dropped some off at the Lighthouse to keep and hand out on hot days.
“Water is an essential part of life,” said McHugh. “As long as people keep donating water, I’m going to keep handing them out on hot days.”
People who wish to donate to #HomelessLivesMatterSK can visit the hashtag Facebook page and reach out to McHugh.