A hard-toed boot may not be as pretty as Cinderella’s glass slipper, but it sure is more useful for homeless people.
That’s why EMS members of HSAA recently donated 71 pairs of used (but still useful) work boots to Homeless Connect Edmonton, which aims to help people experiencing or at risk of homelessness find paths out of their difficult situation.
“EMS workers get boot chits so they can get new boots every year. It’s important for the work they do, but there’s still some life left in some of the old boots, so it’s great we can find another use for them,” said Ecan Stratichuk, a paramedic with Edmonton Metro EMS and a board member with HSAA.
The boots will help people at risk of homelessness to get employment. Many jobs can’t be done without hard-toed boots, so this helps them get back into the workforce and off the streets.
The 71 pairs of boots were cleaned and polished before being donated, thanks to the hard work of cadet members of the Emergency Response Career Pathway (ERCP) program at Edmonton’s Centre High Campus high school.
