Richmond law students help non-profit help the homeless

hanks to media exposure and the help of volunteers, the Richmond-based Ignite The Warmth’s (ITW) 2017 Blanket Drive was a major success.

ITW had more than 100 participants from the community partake in the packing day and for the actual Blanket Drive in December.

The item count for donations reached 1,024, which included both clothing and blankets. The clothing and accessories were donated to the Union Gospel Mission.

From the donations collected, 239 packages filled with a warm blanket, holiday card and legal support guide, were given to people who are homeless in the Downtown Eastside.

The legal support guide was created in partnership with a class of McNair secondary law students, who were also present during the Blanket Drive.

The Richmond News reported last November how the non-profit was connecting local law students directly to the homeless community in the Downtown Eastside.

IWT, mainly founded by Steveston-London alumni, had been working with 30 Law 12 students from McNair since September.

As part of their Law 12 class, the students were asked to include information on legal resources in a pamphlet, which was then handed out by the students as part the comfort packages.

Eight Richmond high school alumni set up ITW four years ago with a mission to combat ignorance of the homeless on three fronts: facilitate, educate and communicate.

ITW’s core desire was, and still is, helping other groups help the homeless; in particular to guide them on how to set up charitable events, such as blanket drives.