It is estimated that more than $25,000 was raised for Sunday night’s Coldest Night of the Year Awareness walk.

The funds raised will go to local support programs that focus on preventing family homelessness in Regina.

YWCA Regina CEO Melissa Coomber-Bendsten said this year, there were more walkers than ever before with 120 registered walkers.

“It means that the conversation around family homelessness is important to people in our community,” Coomber-Bendsten said.

Coomber-Bendsten said homelessness is a growing issue in Regina.

“I think that when people think about homelessness, they think about a man living on the street,” Coomber-Bendsten said. “We know that, at our last count in the spring of 2018, 51% of the people who are homeless in Regina were women, and 14% of folks were under the age of 18, so this kind of event really brings out the information around family homelessness.”

This was the fourth annual walk, where participants joined in on various walking distances throughout the evening in the downtown and heritage neighbourhoods.