Toronto – May 21, 2015 – As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting the diverse communities that make up our union, UFCW Canada has formed a team to take part in the OUT at Night – an event to raise funds and awareness to end homelessness for thousands of LGBTQ2S youth in Canada. The campaign, created by Egale Human Rights Trust, invites participants across the country to sleep outside on the night of May 30, to briefly experience the struggles that over 6,000 LGBTQ2S youth experience in Canada every year.

OUT at Night is set to take place in designated public spaces in Toronto and Calgary, where activities have been planned for May 30, from sunset to sunrise to raise awareness of LGBTQ2S struggles through musical performances, poetry and storytelling, among many other activities planned.

Individuals can sign up to join a registered OUT at Night team or can register on their own to participate in this event. The UFCW Canada team will be spending the night of May 30 sleeping outside in downtown Toronto. Individuals who live in other areas of the country can register individually or as an OUT and About team and choose their own outdoor space to sleep in, while fundraising through their networks for this cause.

“OUT at Night is an important reminder of the struggles faced by thousands of LGBTQ2S youth who have no safe place to escape to,” says UFCW Canada National President Paul Meinema. “These youth need our solidarity to overcome the systemic oppression they unjustly encounter, and we need to relate to their struggles through community action and commitment.”

To find out more about OUT at Night, check out outatnight.ca. To join or to make a donation to the UFCW Canada team, click here.