Help Gru Replace Camp Equipment and Belongings
Donation protected
On the morning of March 3rd, 2021, Gru returned to his campsite in Trinity-Bellwoods Park to find only a patch of greener grass where his tent once stood, littered with pieces of torn nylon and a few stakes, still stuck firmly into the ground. The space he’d called home throughout this past winter was hardly recognizable. All of his possessions were gone.
This is what Gru returned to find.
We’re fundraising to help Gru replace his lost and damaged possessions, including such essential items as his tent and camp-kitchen equipment. Please read on for the rest of this story, but I’d like you to meet someone important first.
This is Gru.
The night before he found his camp destroyed, on March 2, 2021, Gru had been away from his camp. He was busy finalized the intake process for his stay in a hotel-shelter. Prior to leaving camp to make these last arrangements, Gru had ensured the City of Toronto knew where he was, what he was doing, and that his camp and belongings were not abandoned.
In spite of Gru’s due diligence in keeping the City informed as to his whereabouts and actions, City workers arrived early on the morning of March 3, 2021. They tore down Gru’s camp.
Thankfully, Gru completed this intake process and has been admitted to the hotel-shelter, so he has shelter while we carry out this effort to replace his possessions. Unfortunately, the City of Toronto has thus far not demonstrated any ability or willingness to account for the whereabouts of all of Gru’s possessions, let alone field their replacement. Most of Gru’s belongings still remain missing. When pressed about why the City deemed it necessary to destroy Gru’s tent and where his camp equipment and other personal belongings went, the City equivocates.
The City of Toronto does not seem to feel accountable for their actions when their actions harm unhoused people.
And this is not an uncommon experience for unhoused people. Gru got lucky. Despite the City’s destructive and harmful actions, he still ended up with a place to stay, and we can crowd-fund to get him back on his feet without the degree of urgency that would be required if he didn’t have alternative options for shelter. But this is not true for every person who is unhoused, and the homelessness crisis in Toronto continues unabated.
That’s why we’ve decided that this fundraiser should be about more than reequipping Gru.
We’ve set an initial funding target of $3,000.00 CAD. This goal covers, with some margin for possible price changes, the replacement of Gru’s possessions, listed with their approximate retail values below.
The items we are looking to replace for Gru are as follows:
(Please note that all of the following dollar amounts are in Canadian dollars/CAD)
1. Redverz Solo Expedition tent: $734.50
2. Redverz Solo Expedition groundsheet: $56.50
3. hometrends Velvet Plush King blanket: $45.17
4. Sleeping Pad: $150.00
5. Yanes Yukon sleeping bag: $109.99
6. MSR Whisperlite International: $169.50
7. MSR Fuel Bottle: $30.45
8. MSR Superfuel (1 litre): $19.78
9. GSI Pinnacle Cookset: $190.00
10. GSI Camp Kitchen: $84.75
11. GSI Moka Stainless Steel Espresso: $73.39
12. Helinox Chair One: $158.14
13. Helinox Chair One groundsheet: $50.79
14. Goal Zero Nomad 7 Solar Panel: No longer available; closest replacement option is as follows:
Goal Zero Nomad 20 Solar Panel: $169.44
16. Daniel Hechter Paris Modern Fit (suit jacket): 508.50
Total losses to replace: $2866.18 CAD
But we don’t want to stop there.
That’s why, for every $1.00 CAD we raise over and above the $3,000.00 CAD goal, we will make the following donations:
1. $0.25 (25%) to Khaleel’s legal defence expenses in his fight against the City of Toronto
2. $0.25 (25%) to Khaleel’s Tiny Shelters, for the continued construction and maintenance of Tiny Shelters
3. $0.50 (50%) to ESN, the Encampment Support Network, an ad-hoc, volunteer-run network supporting people living in encampments in 6 locations throughout Toronto.
Who am I?
I’m Bree. I’m Gru’s friend, and I run a small online community where Gru is a valued, caring, and much-loved member. I’m including this blurb because GoFundMe recommends it.
This is what Gru returned to find.
We’re fundraising to help Gru replace his lost and damaged possessions, including such essential items as his tent and camp-kitchen equipment. Please read on for the rest of this story, but I’d like you to meet someone important first.
This is Gru.
The night before he found his camp destroyed, on March 2, 2021, Gru had been away from his camp. He was busy finalized the intake process for his stay in a hotel-shelter. Prior to leaving camp to make these last arrangements, Gru had ensured the City of Toronto knew where he was, what he was doing, and that his camp and belongings were not abandoned.
In spite of Gru’s due diligence in keeping the City informed as to his whereabouts and actions, City workers arrived early on the morning of March 3, 2021. They tore down Gru’s camp.
Thankfully, Gru completed this intake process and has been admitted to the hotel-shelter, so he has shelter while we carry out this effort to replace his possessions. Unfortunately, the City of Toronto has thus far not demonstrated any ability or willingness to account for the whereabouts of all of Gru’s possessions, let alone field their replacement. Most of Gru’s belongings still remain missing. When pressed about why the City deemed it necessary to destroy Gru’s tent and where his camp equipment and other personal belongings went, the City equivocates.
The City of Toronto does not seem to feel accountable for their actions when their actions harm unhoused people.
And this is not an uncommon experience for unhoused people. Gru got lucky. Despite the City’s destructive and harmful actions, he still ended up with a place to stay, and we can crowd-fund to get him back on his feet without the degree of urgency that would be required if he didn’t have alternative options for shelter. But this is not true for every person who is unhoused, and the homelessness crisis in Toronto continues unabated.
That’s why we’ve decided that this fundraiser should be about more than reequipping Gru.
We’ve set an initial funding target of $3,000.00 CAD. This goal covers, with some margin for possible price changes, the replacement of Gru’s possessions, listed with their approximate retail values below.
The items we are looking to replace for Gru are as follows:
(Please note that all of the following dollar amounts are in Canadian dollars/CAD)
1. Redverz Solo Expedition tent: $734.50
2. Redverz Solo Expedition groundsheet: $56.50
3. hometrends Velvet Plush King blanket: $45.17
4. Sleeping Pad: $150.00
5. Yanes Yukon sleeping bag: $109.99
6. MSR Whisperlite International: $169.50
7. MSR Fuel Bottle: $30.45
8. MSR Superfuel (1 litre): $19.78
9. GSI Pinnacle Cookset: $190.00
10. GSI Camp Kitchen: $84.75
11. GSI Moka Stainless Steel Espresso: $73.39
12. Helinox Chair One: $158.14
13. Helinox Chair One groundsheet: $50.79
14. Goal Zero Nomad 7 Solar Panel: No longer available; closest replacement option is as follows:
Goal Zero Nomad 20 Solar Panel: $169.44
16. Daniel Hechter Paris Modern Fit (suit jacket): 508.50
Total losses to replace: $2866.18 CAD
But we don’t want to stop there.
That’s why, for every $1.00 CAD we raise over and above the $3,000.00 CAD goal, we will make the following donations:
1. $0.25 (25%) to Khaleel’s legal defence expenses in his fight against the City of Toronto
2. $0.25 (25%) to Khaleel’s Tiny Shelters, for the continued construction and maintenance of Tiny Shelters
3. $0.50 (50%) to ESN, the Encampment Support Network, an ad-hoc, volunteer-run network supporting people living in encampments in 6 locations throughout Toronto.
Who am I?
I’m Bree. I’m Gru’s friend, and I run a small online community where Gru is a valued, caring, and much-loved member. I’m including this blurb because GoFundMe recommends it.
Organizer and beneficiary
Bree Russell
Organizer
Toronto, ON
Jesse C. R. Allan
Beneficiary
