Nine-year-old girl teams up to help Montreal's homeless
With temperatures dropping and a strain on services for the homeless, a nine-year-old girl is making it her mission to help.
A week before Christmas, Kyra Milan Brown spend the day handing out food and supplies at Cabot Square hoping to bring some holiday cheer to those in need.
"I like helping people," she said. "It makes me feel good."
She said the gift of giving runs in the family.
"My mom used to go to the women's shelter and paint their nails so she helped people, basically it goes through the family of helping people," said Brown.
Brown and her mother Shenika Paris were inspired by posts on social media and put together bags of toiletries and snacks to hand out to those living on the streets through the year.
This year, Brown teamed up with her family friend Loreena Gabriel, who runs the non-profit Crown Project and has organized similar winter drives in years past.
"Her enthusiasm, her excitement is really inspiring," said Gabriel. "It motivates me to keep doing what I'm doing to be so excited and thinking of ideas and really engaged in everything we're doing for this whole process."
The two pooled their resources and put out the call for more essential goods and winter garments for Montreal's homeless population.
"I found out that she did this every year for Christmas and I thought that I was the only one who did it, so I thought it'd be cool to work with her and do it with her," said Brown.
Her mother is so proud of the young girl.
"I can't even explain it how proud I am that my nine-year-old, this is something she loves doing, super passionate about this," said Paris. "This drive, she raised a lot of money (and) people donated supplies. She was really into it, I'm so proud you have no idea."
Brown hopes to inspire other kids her age to find the spirit of giving.
"I think that would be a good idea because I want to encourage young kids like me that it's not only adults that do the work," she said. "We can help too and we can make a big difference."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.