Past Events
Our Past Events - 2025 Events
Our 2025 Annual Pasta Dinner Fundraiser was an unforgettable evening of hope, remembrance, and community. Nearly 200 people came together to stand beside Austin’s Red Shoe Project, proving once again that when a community comes together with compassion, incredible things can happen.
Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, donors, volunteers, and guests, we proudly raised over $20,000. Every dollar raised stays right here in our community, allowing Austin’s Red Shoe Project to continue supporting individuals struggling with addiction and homelessness, while also providing hope and support to families who have been impacted by substance use. From emergency clothing and winter supplies to outreach initiatives, community education, and acts of kindness that remind people they are not alone, these funds allow us to continue Austin’s legacy of compassion.
The evening was filled with laughter, heartfelt stories, incredible food, inspiring live music by the incredibly talented Sarah Smith, exciting raffles, and a room overflowing with love and connection. It was a celebration of recovery, remembrance, and the belief that even in our darkest moments, hope can still be found.
The evening concluded with what has become one of our most meaningful traditions, our candlelight vigil. As the room fell silent, candles illuminated the darkness, each one representing someone deeply loved and deeply missed. Together, we honoured those we have lost, stood beside those still fighting, and reminded one another that no family should have to walk this journey alone.
As the vigil unfolded, Sarah Smith performed We Are Loved, a song she and I co-wrote to remind people that no matter what they have been through, no matter how broken they may feel, they are loved, they matter, and there is always hope. It was an emotional, beautiful, and incredibly powerful ending to the evening—one that left few dry eyes in the room while filling every heart with love, hope, and a renewed commitment to continue making a difference.
Austin’s Red Shoe Project is proud to support Brentwood Recovery Home by donating to two of their most important annual fundraising initiatives, one benefiting the Women’s Program and the other supporting the Youth Program.
These fundraisers help ensure that women and young people struggling with addiction have access to the treatment, support, and opportunities they need to begin rebuilding their lives. Recovery changes families, restores hope, and gives people the chance to discover a future they may have never believed was possible.
As someone whose own life was saved through recovery, and as a mother who watched her son courageously battle addiction, supporting these initiatives is deeply personal. We understand that behind every person seeking help is a family praying they find it. Every dollar donated represents more than financial support, it is an investment in hope, healing, and second chances.
Austin’s Red Shoe Project believes that recovery should never be out of reach for someone who is ready to change their life. By supporting Brentwood Recovery Home’s fundraising efforts, we are helping ensure that more women and young people have the opportunity to find the same hope that has transformed so many lives.
Together, we are not simply supporting a fundraiser, we are investing in recovery, strengthening families, and reminding those who are struggling that they are never alone.
Every year, one of the projects closest to our hearts is preparing and distributing our annual care package backpacks to individuals experiencing homelessness in our community.
Last year, we proudly distributed 50 fully stocked backpacks, each one carefully packed with more essential items than ever before. Inside were hygiene kits complete with toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo and conditioner, body wash, and other personal care essentials. Each backpack also included new underwear, warm socks, hats and gloves, hand and foot warmers, first aid kits, Naloxone (Narcan) kits, bottles of water, non-perishable food items, and gift cards to Tim Hortons and McDonald’s, providing not only necessities, but also the opportunity for a warm meal and a place to warm up.
While the contents of each backpack are important, what matters most is the message behind them.
Every backpack is packed with love, compassion, and the simple reminder that the person receiving it is seen, valued, and worthy of kindness. We want every individual to know that they matter, that someone cares about their well-being, and that they have not been forgotten.
For many, these backpacks provide practical items that can make life just a little easier. But just as importantly, they offer hope. They remind people that even during life’s darkest seasons, there are members of their community who believe in them, who care about them, and who are willing to walk beside them without judgment.
That is the mission of Austin’s Red Shoe Project. We believe that meeting immediate needs is important, but restoring dignity, offering compassion, and reminding people of their worth can be just as life-changing. Every backpack we hand out carries not only supplies, but also Austin’s legacy of kindness, acceptance, and unconditional love.
Winter can be unforgiving for those living on the streets. As temperatures fall, something as simple as a warm coat or a sturdy pair of boots can mean the difference between comfort and suffering, and in some cases, even survival.
Each year, Austin’s Red Shoe Project organizes our Annual Winter Coat & Boot Drive, collecting new and gently used winter coats, boots, hats, gloves, scarves, and other cold-weather essentials for individuals experiencing homelessness in our community.
What makes this initiative especially meaningful is that we don’t simply drop off the donations, we personally take them directly into the community. Through our outreach efforts, we walk the streets, meet people where they are, and hand every item directly to the person who needs it. Along with a warm coat or pair of boots comes something equally important: a conversation, a smile, and the reminder that someone genuinely cares.
These moments are never just about clothing. They are about restoring dignity, building trust, and letting people know they have not been forgotten. Every interaction is an opportunity to offer compassion without judgment and to remind someone that they are seen, valued, and worthy of kindness.
Austin understood what it felt like to struggle, and he taught us that the smallest acts of compassion can have the greatest impact. This initiative is one of the many ways we continue to honour his legacy, by showing up for people when they need it most.
At Austin’s Red Shoe Project, we believe warmth is more than protection from the cold. It is the feeling of knowing someone cares. Through our Annual Winter Coat & Boot Drive, we are honoured to share that warmth with our community, one person and one act of kindness at a time.
After having to miss out on making our Christmas dinners last year, Austin’s Red Shoe Project was so grateful to be back in action this holiday season — doing what we love most: serving our community with kindness and heart.The Austin’s Red Shoe Project Team
Christmas is meant to be a season of love, hope, and family. Unfortunately, for many parents battling addiction, it can also be a season filled with guilt, heartbreak, and the fear of not being able to provide for their children.
Each year, Austin’s Red Shoe Project is honoured to support Brentwood Recovery Home’s Christmas Tree of Hope Initiative. Through this incredible program, we help ensure that children of parents currently enrolled in treatment wake up on Christmas morning knowing they are loved and remembered.
In 2025, thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we were proud to sponsor 12 children, purchasing Christmas gifts that helped bring joy, excitement, and hope to families during what can be one of the most difficult times in their lives.
Recovery doesn’t just change the life of the person seeking help, it changes the lives of their children, their parents, their partners, and entire families. By supporting the Christmas Tree of Hope Initiative, we are reminding parents that choosing recovery is one of the greatest gifts they can give their children. At the same time, we are helping ensure those children experience the magic of Christmas while their parent is doing the hard work of building a healthier future.
As someone in long-term recovery myself, I understand that healing is about so much more than overcoming addiction. It’s about rebuilding relationships, restoring hope, and creating new memories. Supporting this initiative allows us to stand beside families during that journey and remind them that their community believes in them every step of the way.
At Austin’s Red Shoe Project, we believe every child deserves to experience the joy of Christmas, and every parent deserves the opportunity to create a better tomorrow. Through the Christmas Tree of Hope Initiative, we are honoured to help make both possible, one family, one child, and one act of kindness at a time.
One of the simplest acts of kindness can often have the greatest impact: sharing a meal.
Each year, Austin’s Red Shoe Project is proud to support The Downtown Mission by donating hamburgers and hot dogs for their community, helping ensure that those experiencing homelessness or hardship can enjoy a hot, freshly prepared meal in a welcoming environment.
In 2025, with the incredible support of the Serenity Baseball Tournament, we were honoured to donate over 100 hamburgers and hot dogs to this important organization. This partnership allowed us to reach even more people and reminded us of the incredible things that can happen when organizations work together for the good of the community.
A meal is about so much more than food. It is about dignity. It is about human co⁶nnection. It is about looking someone in the eye, sharing a smile, and reminding them that they matter.
Austin had a heart for people who were struggling because he understood struggle himself. He believed in treating every person with kindness and compassion, regardless of where they were in life. That same belief continues to guide everything we do through Austin’s Red Shoe Project.
Whether we are serving a hot meal, providing essential supplies, or simply taking the time to have a conversation, our goal is always the same, to let people know they are seen, they are valued, and they are never forgotten.
Together, one meal, one conversation, and one act of kindness at a time, we continue to carry Austin’s legacy of compassion into our community
Austin’s Red Shoe Project was honoured to be invited to take part in the annual Serenity Baseball Tournament, a day that perfectly captured the spirit of recovery, community, and hope.
Our team had the privilege of serving lunch to everyone participating in the tournament, but our role extended far beyond providing a meal. We were proud to stand alongside an incredible community of individuals, families, volunteers, and organizations, all united by a common purpose, to raise funds, increase awareness surrounding addiction and recovery, and support those whose lives have been touched by substance use.
One of the greatest honours of the day came during the opening ceremonies. Following remarks from Mayor Drew Dilkens, I was invited to address the crowd, sharing Austin’s story, my own journey of recovery, and the mission behind Austin’s Red Shoe Project. Having the opportunity to speak about my son and the work we are doing in his memory was both humbling and deeply meaningful. Every time Austin’s story is shared, it creates another opportunity to reduce stigma, inspire hope, and remind others that recovery is possible.
Events like the Serenity Baseball Tournament are so much more than a game. They remind people in recovery that life doesn’t end when addiction does, it begins again. Recovery is about rebuilding friendships, finding purpose, creating new memories, and discovering that joy is possible without drugs or alcohol.
One of the greatest gifts recovery offers is community. No one should have to walk this journey alone. Seeing hundreds of people come together, laughing, cheering one another on, and simply enjoying life, shows those who are struggling that a new way of living is not only possible, but waiting for them.
At Austin’s Red Shoe Project, we are grateful to partner with organizations that share our belief that recovery deserves to be celebrated, not hidden. Every event like this helps break down stigma, builds stronger connections, and reminds people that hope grows when communities come together.
Together, we are helping create a future where recovery is visible, supported, and celebrated, one event, one conversation, and one life at a time.
One of the most meaningful moments of the past year came on one of the coldest nights of winter.
As temperatures dropped and most of us were heading inside to the warmth and comfort of our homes, there were still far too many people preparing to spend the night outside. That reality is heartbreaking, and it’s one we refuse to ignore.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of our supporters, Austin’s Red Shoe Project was able to purchase and distribute over 50 brand-new sleeping bags to individuals experiencing homelessness. We didn’t wait for a more convenient day, we went out on one of the coldest nights of the year, because that was when they needed them the most.
What many people don’t realize is that a sleeping bag is about so much more than staying warm. On a freezing night, it can provide safety, comfort, dignity, and, quite literally, save a life.
Each sleeping bag was handed to someone with a conversation, a smile, and a reminder that they had not been forgotten. We didn’t just hand out supplies, we shared compassion, human connection, and hope.
Austin knew what it felt like to struggle. He knew what it felt like to be judged, to feel alone, and to wonder if anyone cared. That is why this work means so much. We cannot change someone’s past, but we can change what today looks like. Sometimes, the smallest act of kindness can remind someone that they still matter.
These moments are the heart of Austin’s Red Shoe Project. They are a reminder that love isn’t measured only in words, but in action. Every sleeping bag, every meal, every warm coat, every conversation is another step toward carrying Austin’s legacy forward, one act of compassion at a time.
Our Past Events - 2024 Events
The Austin’s Red Shoe Project Team
Supporting Brentwood Recovery Home 2024
Austin’s Red Shoe Project is proud to support Brentwood Recovery Home by donating to two of their most important annual fundraising initiatives, one benefiting the Women’s Program and the other supporting the Youth Program.
These fundraisers help ensure that women and young people struggling with addiction have access to the treatment, support, and opportunities they need to begin rebuilding their lives. Recovery changes families, restores hope, and gives people the chance to discover a future they may have never believed was possible.
As someone whose own life was saved through recovery, and as a mother who watched her son courageously battle addiction, supporting these initiatives is deeply personal. We understand that behind every person seeking help is a family praying they find it. Every dollar donated represents more than financial support, it is an investment in hope, healing, and second chances.
Austin’s Red Shoe Project believes that recovery should never be out of reach for someone who is ready to change their life. By supporting Brentwood Recovery Home’s fundraising efforts, we are helping ensure that more women and young people have the opportunity to find the same hope that has transformed so many lives.
Together, we are not simply supporting a fundraiser, we are investing in recovery, strengthening families, and reminding those who are struggling that they are never alone.
- Non-perishable food and water
- Narcan kits for overdose prevention
- Warm hats, gloves, socks, and underwear
- Gift cards for McDonald’s and Tim Hortons
- First-aid kits
- Hygiene kits that included a toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, brush, and soap
The Austin’s Red Shoe Project Team
The Austin’s Red Shoe Project Team
The Austin’s Red Shoe Project Team
The Austin’s Red Shoe Project Team
The Austin’s Red Shoe Project Team
The Austin’s Red Shoe Project Team
