Testimonials

The time I spent on the street with Ve’ahavta’s  ‘Three Days’ initiative was something very special. I will take it with me for life and I was/am honoured to be a part of it.

I was walking down Bloor street a couple of weeks ago and passed by a woman panhandling on the street. My first instinct was to acknowledge her presence with a nod and keep going. Then something inside me told me to turn around, which is exactly what I did. I walked right up to her and said, “may I buy you a coffee?” (we were right next to a Second Cup). She gleefully exclaimed, “yes!” and then asked me if she could come into the cafe with me. It was a very nice exchange between two Torontonians.

Similarly, I was at the Eaton Centre last week, and ran into Mike (the young Schizophrenic man who joined us at the memorial for the homeless). He was having an episode, talking and laughing to himself as he opened a CD in front of HMV. I wondered whether I should approach him and then decided that I absolutely should. I said “hello!” and he recognized me right away and was very aware and “with it”. We walked and chatted and I told him that one of the most difficult things about coming off of the streets for me was transitioning back into my life and the privileges that I and many of those in my social circle are accustomed to. Mike astutely asked, “but wasn’t it more difficult for you to transition back into your life after returning from places such as Brazil and India?” (I was taken aback that he actually remembered where I had traveled to!). My response was, “no, Mike, because this city, Toronto, is my home and my community. When I travel, I can leave, but the people I met on the streets, these are my neighbours and my neighbourhoods, and I can’t just leave here. This is my reality.”

- Jacqueline Stein, Ve’ahavta Volunteer