'They need respect. They need compassion.' This Windsor woman is on a personal mission to help the homeless

Most days Lynne Gagne drives around downtown Windsor looking to help those who don’t have a home. She hands out food, clothing and cash if she has some.

Lynne Gagne can’t remember the first homeless person she helped. There’s been so many. But a few months ago, something clicked. She could no longer ignore the poverty and homelessness in her downtown Windsor neighbourhood.

She’s become an unofficial outreach worker of sorts for the city’s homeless. Almost every night, she gets into her blue Pontiac Pursuit looking for those who have nowhere to sleep.

“I knew if I went out late at night and I knew if I went out in the morning, I would always come across people in need. So sometimes I’m not driving out there purposely to go and find them. I’m on my way somewhere and as I drive by I’ll see them huddled and freezing and cold,” said Gagne.

Her Pontiac is stocked with hats, gloves, bottled water and snacks. She hands it out to whoever she meets until it’s gone.

“If that was me, I would want somebody to put a jacket and a hat on my head and give me a little money so I could get something to eat or something to drink, or the drug of my choice to give me relief. I make them known that it doesn’t matter how you spend the money, as long as it brings you comfort. I’m good with that,” said Gagne.

Gagne is driven by her faith and her desire to help those who are struggling. She’s hopeful that if she can shine a light on people who are homeless, change will come.

Earlier in March, she invited CBC News to accompany her on one of her outreach drives. Within the first hour, she stops and talks with at least six people who are living on the streets. Two of them explain it was addiction that took them there.

“Like I got relapsed. I started doing drugs and… it’s been hard since then,” said Mustafa Malih.

Beau Wellman says it was drugs and bad life choices that landed him without a place to live.

It’s below zero. Wellman is visibly shivering. Gagne gives him the hat offer her head. It’s pink with a pompom. She’s dressed in layers. She removes her top jacket and puts in on Wellman.

He said he’s lost 60 friends to drug overdoses, including his best friend. Wellman uses fentantyl and crystal meth, but says he has it under control.

“Like, I do drugs, but I I don’t let drugs do me, you know? Like, I still maintain some sort of composure, you know. Like, my life is a mess. But it’s not that bad,” said Wellman.

Gagne said there have been times where she’s come across people who have had enough and want to go to detox. Gagne has the detox centre on speed dial. But every time she’s called, there have been no free beds.

Living on disability, Gagne does not have a lot. But she’s willing to share what she does have. Before she says goodbye to Wellman she gives him a $10 bill, telling him to get a good meal.

“They need respect and they need compassion and they need solutions. And there aren’t any. There aren’t enough.”

When asked how long Gagne will keep up with her outreach, she responded, “until I die.”

“Until there’s no more people left on the street.”