Have you ever wondered how bears know when to hibernate? Do they just wake up one crisp fall morning and decide, "I'm going back to sleep - see you in March?"
It turns out their bodies pick up on environmental cues like decreasing day length, colder temperatures, and, most significantly, a shortage of food, which triggers physiological changes that tell them, "Nap time".
It's a similar case for birds. They realize it's time to head for sunnier, warmer climes as fall weather starts to pop up and the mercury begins to fall.
While we don't sleep for six straight months or fly south (well, not all of us anyway) when cooler weather arises, we change our behaviours too. We start to move our events indoors, host fewer barbecues, and layer up with warmer clothing.
We at Lionhearts also start to see more people lined up at the door of our Kingston shelter.
Just last week, as we had our first frostbite advisory of the year, our available beds filled up within 20 minutes of our doors opening. For people who have nowhere else to go, those available beds have gone from a nice-to-have to a more urgent need.
Yet through it all, the compassion of our donors, partners, and volunteers continues to shine as a steady source of hope. Your support ensures that when someone knocks on our door seeking warmth, safety, or a simple hot meal, we are ready to offer them dignity and care.
Still, the growing need for shelter space is a reminder that this issue involves us all. Whether through advocacy, awareness, or simply extending kindness to someone experiencing hardship, every gesture helps strengthen the fabric of our community. Together, we can make sure that as winter approaches, no one is left out in the cold.
With gratitude and hope,
Travis Blackmore
Founder and CEO, Lionhearts Inc.
Kingston
Hot and Ready
Here's a cheesy fact: we've been picking up pizzas from our local Little Caesars locations since 2015! Wow! Six days a week, volunteers and staff visit our three local Little Caesars for a dose of HOT-N-READY pizzas as well as Crazy Bread and other generous donations.
Thank you to our local Little Caesars franchisee for caring for our vulnerable neighbours!
Green and Leafy
Thank you...we mean...merci a nos amis chez Lufa Farms!
We received 13,400lbs of fresh lettuce, kale, Bok Choy, green onions, cherry tomatoes, and peppers, which we're hard at work redistributing.
Thank you to Second Harvest for the connection.
Ottawa
A Bit Corny
Who's got two thumbs and 7,000 pounds of corn? These guys!
Thank you to Foster Family Farm for your amazing generosity! We've been hard at work sharing your produce with frontline agencies serving our vulnerable neighbours.
Tristan from our team helped load up the truck with Maurice from Caldwell Family Centre to be shared at Caldwell and Care Centre Ottawa.
We Scored
No matter the final score, every Ottawa Senators home game is a win for frontline agencies!
Thanks to Aramark, the official food provider at the Canadian Tire Centre, we're picking up leftover pizzas and other game food for redistribution to our vulnerable neighbours. (Any that we can sneak past Spartacat, anyway!)
Thank you, Aramark and Canadian Tire Centre, for your support. With the Sens season about to formally get underway, say it with us: Go Sens Go!
London
Let's Sort it Out
We're gearing up for another sorting party with our friends at Gateway Church!
Here's how it works: Amazon gives us the food and household goods to redistribute, and you help us get them ready to be shared with local front-line agencies. It's like getting to play Santa!
Sound like fun? Sign up for our Oct. 24 sorting party now!
Who We Help
When you help us pick up, sort, and deliver goods, you're helping over 35 local agencies on the front lines in London. Let's meet another one of them!
L'Arche London, Ontario exists to create a world where everyone belongs. They support people with intellectual disabilities through relationships and empower them to thrive. We're proud to support their important work with donations of food and goods.
Thank you, L'Arche team, for caring for our community!
