The Doorbell

United Way uses a video doorbell to highlight homelessness in Halifax

An impactful holiday video shows the immediate need for support within our community.

In the past year, the Halifax homeless population has more than doubled and is showing no signs of slowing. With rising rents, fixed-term leases, and wages not keeping up with inflation, there are also thousands of people who are a few missed payments from becoming homeless. We all want to return to normal, but this holiday season will be far from normal for a lot of people in our community, and they need our support.

To bring attention to this issue, United Way Halifax launched an impactful holiday video that shows what the holidays look like for those with a home, versus those without. We live in a time where most houses actually have their own point of view, with video doorbells. So to tell a story from the perspective of a house, we shot the entire ad on a video doorbell. The 60 second video highlights a family enjoying all of the typical holiday moments we experience at home, but then reminds you what things look like for someone without a home during the holidays.

With limited resources, a donated shooting location, and a team of volunteers, the non-profit has been working on this holiday video since the winter of 2021. United Way Halifax plays a significant role in addressing housing and homelessness in the HRM. All of the programs they fund are focused on alleviating poverty, with nearly half of the programs being specifically focused on meeting the immediate need for safe and secure housing.

For those who can afford it, a donation to United Way Halifax will make a meaningful impact within our community this holiday season. But for those who can’t afford it, even sharing this video with your family and friends on social media can make a huge impact.