• Stouffville’s Coldest Night of the Year walk is making its return on Feb. 22, 2025.
  • The event offers 2km and 5km routes to raise funds for City Street Outreach, a local charity supporting those in need throughout the GTA.
  • The organization aims to raise $50,000, with over $17,000 already collected from 66 participants across 14 teams.
  • Community members can support the event by walking, fundraising, volunteering, or sponsoring.
  • Contributions will support City Street Outreach’s fleet of vehicles key to its mission of delivering donations directly to vulnerable populations.
  • Sign-ins begin at 4 p.m. at Stouffville Pentecostal Church, with both walks starting at 5 p.m.
  • Registration and additional information is available here.

 

Heralded as a winterrific, family-friendly event, Stouffville’s Coldest Night of the Year (CNOY) walk returns on February 22. Like last year, community members can register and fundraise for a 2km or 5km walk in support of City Street Outreach.

“The Coldest Night of the Year is a moment when tens of thousands of Canadians step outside the warmth and comfort of home and shine a light of welcome and inclusion,” the event website states. “Together, we’re collecting donations that fund critical services at a local charity partner who serves and supports vulnerable families and individuals in our CNOY community.”

City Street Outreach, a charitable foundation based in Stouffville, brings together volunteers, community members, local organizations, and businesses to assist vulnerable populations across the GTA. Their efforts aid individuals who are unhoused, disabled, or living in poverty, including seniors, new immigrants, and refugees.

The charity focuses on the direct delivery of donated food, blankets, sleeping bags, and other supplies. Donations from this year’s CNOY walk will help maintain their fleet of vehicles essential to this mission.

Walks begin at the Stouffville Pentecostal Church, 189 Sandiford Drive, with sign-ins starting at 4 p.m. The 2km route loops Sandiford, Main, Mostar, and Hoover Park, and the 5km route takes participants along Main to Mill Street and back. Both walks get underway at 5 p.m.

With a goal of raising $50,000 during last year’s walk, City Street Outreach mobilized 170 participants and fell just $2,000 short of their target.

As of publication, 66 walkers representing 14 teams have registered for the 2025 event. Over $17,000 has already been raised, and the organization is progressing toward the same $50,000 goal at a faster pace compared to 2024.

Brian Reynolds, City Street Outreach’s Special Events Coordinator and 2025 CNOY Stouffville Event Director, spoke with Bullet Point News about the initiative.

“We’re all volunteers, and we aim to help those who are homeless, hurting, and hungry. We do not have an office, meaning we do not store anything,” Reynolds explained. “Through this walk, we raise money to keep our trucks and vans on the road so we can pick up and then immediately drop off donations.”

“Our philosophy is that if we have abundance, we should share it,” he said. “We tend to operate under the radar a bit, but we have had such an incredible response to these walks here in town.”

While individual walks are organized by local charities, the Coldest Night of the Year program is spearheaded by the Blue Sea Foundation. The Kitchener-based charity facilitates fundraising efforts by coordinating community events.

Coldest Night of the Year walks began in 2011 and have raised over $75 million for local charities. The walks now take place in more than 200 communities across Canada and parts of the United States.

Those interested in participating can register through the Stouffville walk’s website. Participants can form teams and set personal fundraising goals, with those raising $150 or more receiving the annual CNOY toque. Residents unable to join the walk can make direct donations to City Street Outreach to help achieve the $50,000 goal.

Community members can also volunteer to help with the event, and local businesses are encouraged to sign on as sponsors. Rest stops along the routes will offer refreshments, and a light meal will be served at 6 p.m. to conclude the evening.

“It’s for an important cause, and we just want people to come out and participate,” Reynolds said. “Whether you’re walking and fundraising, volunteering, or providing a sponsorship, it’s a great way to get involved.”

“We have new participants every year, and every year they come back,” he added. “It may be cold, but everyone just loves doing it.”

*Cover image property of and used with permission from City Street Outreach