Accounting firm employees sleeping outside to support young at-risk men

A group of employees at an accounting firm in Winnipeg are sleeping outside tonight to support young at-risk men who are seeking a positive future.

“This event, sleeping out is indicative of what these men go through night after night after night. There’s nothing more mentally debilitating than not knowing where you’re gonna sleep at night,” said Harry Black, President of Pan Am Place.

Staff and Partners of F.H Black & Company Chartered Professional Accountants Inc., are spending the night in an alley for their Cold Nights, Warm Hearts Sleep Out Fundraiser to raise money for the needs of residents at Pan Am Place and spread awareness about the work being done there.

“So we have a lot of people here from different backgrounds. Guys who are experiencing homelessness, who are dealing with addiction, many from incarceration, people coming from CFS,” said Jason Aniceto, Manager of Pan Am Place.

Partners Harry and Susan Black of the accounting firm started Pan Am Place in 2013 and the charity organization has since helped over 800 young men through job-skills training and counselling, volunteering, life-skills coaching, nutritional resources, education, and physical fitness, with programming at the Pan Am Boxing Club.

“We find that that really helps them to really bring structure back into their lives and however long it takes them. We have people who stay here from three months to several years,” said Aniceto.

The four-floor housing facility located in the Exchange District can house up to 25 residents at a time with the aim of providing a supportive community where young men can live together while they work to get back on their feet. Residents must pursue an education or trade.

“You build that discipline; you build that structure in your life to be able to eventually support yourself of moving forward,” said Jesse Claeys, resident.

“To have something like this where you have that safe place, you have people that want to see you better yourself, have that support, the community, the family hood that you do here it’s life-changing.”

Around 15 workers will be spending the night in the alley. The Sleep Out starting at 8 p.m. on Wednesday will run until 8 a.m. on Thursday. They have raised about $45,000 so far, and are hoping to get to $100, 000 for Pan Am Place through online pledges, spare change, and corporate donations.

Community members can visit the Pan Am Place website to give to the organization, and can also check out the hashtags #PAPSleepOut and #fightingchance on social media platforms to see what the group is up to throughout the night.