Sleepless in Thunder Bay
One Night Without Sleep Can Change Countless Lives
By Kaylee Lambert
Would you be willing to spend one night in your car to support a good cause?
Last month, Thunder Bay City Council declared homelessness a humanitarian crisis in our community. The declaration acknowledges what many residents already see every day—that more people in our city are struggling without safe and stable housing.
Local organizations are working overtime to try and meet growing needs by providing supports, safe spaces, and pathways toward stability for people experiencing homelessness.
United Way of Thunder Bay’s Pathways to HOME initiative brings together community organizations, service providers, governments, and businesses to address the root causes of homelessness, including mental health challenges, substance use, trauma, and poverty.
In support of Pathways to HOME, United Way has launched Sleepless in Thunder Bay, a new campaign that asks participants to spend one night sleeping in their vehicles as a symbolic act to raise awareness about homelessness.
“Homelessness is a complex challenge affecting many people in our community,” says Albert Brulé, CEO of United Way of Thunder Bay. “Sleepless in Thunder Bay is an opportunity for community leaders and residents to come together, spark important conversations, and support the organizations working every day to help people find safe and stable housing. One night in a vehicle cannot replicate the experience of homelessness, but it can help raise awareness and mobilize support for solutions.”
Several local businesses and organizations have already stepped up to support the campaign, including the City of Thunder Bay, Superior North EMS, Thunder Bay Police Service, Thunder Bay Fire Rescue, and the OPP, amongst others.
No single initiative can solve homelessness, but by working together with compassion, empathy, and understanding, Brulé believes we can take meaningful steps forward.
“Recently, I spoke with someone who had experienced homelessness here in Thunder Bay,” he says. “One thing they shared has stayed with me. They said one of the hardest parts wasn’t just the lack of housing —it was feeling invisible, as though people were walking past without really seeing them. It made me realize that sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is to say, ‘We see you. We’re with you. And we’re not walking past this issue.’”
Sleepless in Thunder Bay will take place the night of March 28, 2026. Those interested in participating still have the time to register. There is no registration fee—rather, participants are asked to try and raise $1,000 by the end of the campaign in support of Pathways to HOME.
Learn more, register, or donate to a fundraiser at uwaytbay.ca/sleepless.
