Eighth edition of Camelot for a day | A day in the shoes of a peddler from The itinerary

Magazines in hand, some twenty public figures spread out across Greater Montreal on Tuesday to work, for a day, as street vendors. The route.

From the worlds of culture to business, 25 public figures including Guy Jodoin, Pierre Verville and Noémi Mercier took part in this eighth edition of Camelot d’un jour, organized by The route.

“Like every year, we feel that this is a day that raises a lot of awareness,” says Luc Desjardins, the general director of the organization that helps people experiencing homelessness.

Stationed in front of various metro stations in Greater Montreal, the participants were paired with street vendors to sell the most recent edition of the magazine to passers-by. The routewhich is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary this year.

Being a street vendor is not easy, according to Luc Desjardins. “It allows you to see the good and bad sides of our society: the empathy of the people who buy the magazine, their generosity, but also the shifty glances and nonchalance of others,” he emphasizes.

With the volunteers and the street vendors who accompanied the public figures in their distribution, no fewer than 125 people participated in the Camelot for a Day, according to Luc Desjardins. “It was a real success,” he adds.

Money generated from magazine sales helps fund the mission of The routean organization that helps people experiencing homelessness, particularly by supporting them in their social reintegration.

For the street vendors, who have experienced homelessness themselves, working for the organization is a way to take responsibility and help the organization survive, one magazine at a time. “They face a lot of rejection, it’s not easy,” says Luc Desjardins. “For me, it’s a great form of resilience to come knocking on our door and deciding to get involved like that.”