Ve’ahavta: The Canadian Jewish Humanitarian & Relief Committee is proud to announce that we will once again host a Creative Writing Contest for people living on or near the street.
This is the seventh time that we have implemented this project. The idea behind it is to empower the homeless through their writing to recognize that they may have the skills to pursue writing as a career, and perhaps find their way off the street.
The Creative Writing Contest is part of Ve’ahavta’s Homeless Initiative department. In December we distributed five hundred packages into the street and through shelters, containing a sign up form, a pad of paper, pen and a self-addressed envelope asking people to write a poem, a song, an autobiography, a recipe used to survive on the street. They have the option of writing a fictional or non-fiction piece. The possibilities are endless.
The submissions will be judged by a list of writers, media personalities some including John Stackhouse from the Globe and Mail, Steve Paikin from TVO, Ralph Benmergui from Jazz FM and well known author Michael Ondaatje. The winners will receive various prizes including a creative writing course to Ryerson University along with the top cash prize donated by Kernel’s Popcorn for $1000. There are a dozen more cash gifts as well as gift certificates from Loblaws, Tonyc Salon and Spa and Tim Hortons.
The contest winners will be awarded with their prizes at our very special coffee house reading ceremony. Participants will have the chance to meet with the judges, read their winning entry and receive their prize. Also, everyone who participated in the project receives a gift basket for their contribution in the contest.