As a high school student in Winnipeg, I’m always surrounded by different communities, such as my school, the different school groups I’m a part of and the neighbourhood I live in. No matter the community, you cannot have “community” without “unity,” and one of the biggest examples I feel represents this ideal is CommUNITY 204 Inc. (or Community 204).
CommUNITY 204 is a grassroots and non-profit organization that devotes itself to providing assistance to houseless and marginalized communities through provisions of basic human needs and support in a variety of capacities. I first came to know of CommUNITY 204 in my freshman year of high school when my teacher took me and my classmates on multiple occasions to help make food with Main Street Project (a non-profit charitable organization near CommUNITY 204) and participate in the CommUNITY 204 Walk.
The CommUNITY 204 Walk is a year-round (weather permitting), weekly outreach rooted in community care. Every Wednesday, the CommUNITY 204 team and volunteers walk through marginalized neighbourhoods to offer a steady and compassionate presence. The team devotes itself to supporting the community with community clean-up, harm reduction and minor medical care when needed. They also provide basic necessities such as food, water, clothing and hygiene items. However, the CommUNITY 204 Walk isn’t just about providing needs, it’s also about meaningful connection. It’s a chance to build relationships, share space and engage with members of the community who may simply need a kind conversation, a listening ear, or a reminder that someone cares.
I will admit that before I went for the first time, I was a bit nervous, as I was surrounded by the stigma against people experiencing homelessness. I didn’t really know what to expect, and many of my peers felt the same way. I know that many people here in Winnipeg are scared of downtown. There was a time when I used to be scared of it too, but I’ve come to realize that there isn’t any reason to be scared, and that the stigma against homeless people isn’t based on reality — lacking a home doesn’t make a person “bad.”
At the end of the day, we’re all people on a tiny little rock in the middle of nowhere, and we’re all just trying to live day by day. CommUNITY 204 completely opened my eyes to this, and I know for a fact it’s opened many other people’s eyes.
From a high school student, to whoever may be reading this, I want you to know that we’re all just people, and humans are social creatures, evolved to live in groups and communicate with one another. To be in a community is to belong, and to help others realize that they, too, belong.
A community is more than just a group of people, it’s the way we help each other in times of need. It’s the little moments that connect us all — community is unity.
