‘People are hopeful’: Main Street Project patrons share in Winnipeg Whiteout

As thousands of Winnipeggers don their finest whiteout gear to watch the Winnipeg Jets take on the Minnesota Wild, the Main Street Project is getting ready to host its own Whiteout party.

READ MORE: Whiteout Way tops the list in poll for Winnipeg street party nickname

The homeless shelter has pizzas ordered and white shirts ready so all of their clients have a chance to celebrate the Jets playoff run with the rest of the city.

“They’re ready to go. They’re ready to celebrate. They’re ready to cheer for the Jets,” Cindy Titus, Main Street Project’s communications and fund development coordinator said.

It’s becoming a playoff tradition at the shelter, after hosting their first whiteout party for Game 2.

VIEW: pictures of the MSP Whiteout party April 13

Last Friday, the shelter, which also offers food and crisis support to people experiencing homelessness, had nearly 50 people together to watch as the Jets beat the Wild 4-1.

READ MORE: “Please keep sharing” — Winnipeg shelter seeking sock donations

“It really is nice,” shelter user Dana Barnes said. “Instead of being left in the background all the time because of the way I live…”

Barnes said being included in what is happening in the city and not being forgotten really helps to lift people’s spirits.

“People are hopeful,” he said. “There’s a little bit of hope in the air, eh.”

A special night that also included a special treat. Nearly a dozen pizzas were ordered from Santa Lucia and delivered to the shelter.

“I think it was a really special time,” Titus said. “People had a lot of fun. They got to have pizza, which is not something we often offer because we are a charity.”

A night like that would set the charity back roughly $300. But after seeing how successful it was, someone set up a GoFundMe page to help them raise money and keep the Whiteout parties going.

In just a few days, more than $3,700 has been raised for the shelter to continue hosting pizza nights during the Jets playoff run.

READ MORE: 15,000 fans expected at Whiteout Street Party Friday as Jets try to advance​

On top of the money raised, a number of different companies started to drop off Whiteout shirts to make sure everyone at the shelter who was watching the games would get a chance to really join the celebration.

“The Jets are doing well and everybody loves them and deserves to celebrate them no matter your social economic status,” Titus said.

“Whether you live in Tuxedo or St. Vital, or whether you are one of the most vulnerable people in our city. Everybody wants the opportunity to celebrate the Jets.”

An opportunity that many more people are now getting, thanks to the incredible generosity of Winnipeggers.