Vancouver organization is helping warm up people in need

As the chilly weather quickly sets in across the province, a Vancouver organization is asking for help to bring warmth to the community.

The Blanket BC Society is a non-profit organization that gives blankets across the province to people in need.

This year, their annual Drive on the Line event will be held on Nov. 18 and 19, where volunteers will spread out on the Canada Line SkyTrain from Vancouver to Richmond, and collect donations.

Volunteers collect donations at a SkyTrain station. (Photo courtesy of Blanket BC website)

Volunteers will set up big bins at multiple stations, “where the travelling public drops off their monetary donations and items of warmth.”

Blanket BC says they are looking for “fabulous folks” to drop off new, or gently used blankets, and warm clothing.

In October, the society celebrated 17 years of “dedicated service to the community.”

But it all began almost two decades ago when founder Gregory Ould says he spotted a man in the cold — and asked if he could help.

“Noticing a man in an alcove, who seemed very cold, so I went up to him and I asked him, ‘Is there anything I can do to actually help you?’ and his response was, ‘Yeah, I could really use a blanket to survive the night,” Ould explained in a video.

This instance kick-started Ould’s desire to help those around him, and the simple request quickly turned into tangibly helping people.

Now, Ould’s charity has handed out over 550,000 blankets across the province, and continues to do so.

The organization says many of the blankets are sent to shelters, families in need, and First Nations communities.

In additon to helping people stay warm, it also strives to raise awareness about topics like homelessness and poverty.