The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

7 | O akville B eaver | T hursday,D ecem ber 13,2018 insidehalton.com 9 LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU BETTER AIRE ONE MADNESS SALEAIRE ONE MADNESS SALE FURNACE DIAGNOSTIC SPECIAL $49*$49* *Call for detailsFAST & RELIABLE SERVICE $1990$1990$1990* *Call forD etails Starting From LIMITED TIME OFFER ONLY OR LIMITED TIME OFFER $3990$3990$3990*Startingom *Callf or Details RECEIVE UP TO $1,000 IN REBATES* Upgrade YoUr fUrnace for onlY HigH efficiencY fUrnace & central air York 10 Year parts & laboUr WarrantY York 10 Year parts & laboUr WarrantY $1,600 RECEIVE UP TO $1,600 IN REBATES* $59/MTHOAC* 95.5% EFF. PACkAgE INCLudES: • 95.5% HigH EfficiEncy gas furnacE • HigH EfficiEncy cEntral air r410a rEfrigErant www.aireone.com OVER 120,000 SATISFIED CUSTOMERS OAKVILLE 905-849-4998 1-888-827-2665 2 0 1 6 R B C C A N A D I A N O P E N | 1 3 220 Randall Street, Downtown 905-842-2100 peterwatsoninvestments.com Thinking of Retiring… Someday? Let's Talk. Visit our website to sign up for a free consultation. Peter Watson MBA, CFP, R.F.P., CIM, FCSI Jennifer Watson B.A. Downtown Oakville peterwatsoninvestments.com of sign consultation.consultation. MBA, FPSCMBA, FPSCMBA, FPSC Peter Watson MBA, CFP, R.F.P., CIM, FCSI Jennifer Watson MBA Most people walk past the homeless, and probably don't give it a second thought. Justin Brito, however, decided to stop and talk to individuals liv- ing on the street, which led him to create a unique project designed to raise awareness, empathy, and winter clothing donations. "With such a high volume of passerby and so few people actu- ally stopping to speak or help them, I've always asked myself these two questions," said Justin Brito, 37, who grew up in Oak- ville. "'If a homeless person had a suit and tie on and lay in the street asking for help, how many people would stop? How many people would take advice from someone who has hit rock bot- tom?'" His objective is to reduce the stigma surrounding homeless- ness so that people will respect the homeless and value how they feel and what they have to say, he said. "My goal is to create a way to enhance empathy among Canadi- ans." On Tuesday, Dec. 18, Brito will hold his dual-purpose Two Cents for Change community-based project and creative event, be- tween 6:30 to 10 p.m. at the Car Lounge in Oakville. Twenty por- traits of people he met in down- town Toronto, will be on display in the showroom's "classy, so- phisticated and spacious envi- ronment." "The experience was an eye- opener to say the least. Not only was it humbling but seeing the in- dividuals' reaction to having someone take time to speak with them and see how they're doing was the real eye-opener. People really appreciated having some- one speak with them and value their thoughts and advice. The experience showed how down to earth and compassionate these individuals really are." His subjects each provided a "positive statement" directed at youth. If he is able to change even two people's actions moving forward when they interact with a home- less person, or someone in need, Brito would consider his efforts a success. "Life is too short and we really need to go against the grain and stop judging people by their out- ward appearances and life cir- cumstances," said Brito. "There is so much beauty when you al- low yourself to look deeper. This project brings a raw, yet ap- proachable way to shift our mind- sets. Our subjects have so many valuable things to say. Their ad- vice is geared to the younger gen- eration, whom, like the rest of us, can always benefit from hum- bling words of wisdom gained through the hard knock life of in- dividuals, who still have unlimit- ed potential." Two Cents for Change is a pro- ject of his startup umbrella com- pany, Unsealed Concepts "to house all of my business and charitable ideas." "Creating freely inspired the idea that my 'concepts' can now be 'unsealed,' or open for me to take them further." He will continue his Two Cents for Change project by cre- ating a documentary, publishing a photo book and speaking to high school students about not limiting "their potential for mak- ing a difference in the world with humanitarian acts of kindness and empathy." Car Lounge is located at 324 Wyecroft Rd. All winter clothing donations will go to Good Shep- herd Ministries in Toronto. OAKVILLE'S JUSTIN BRITO HOPES TO REDUCE STIGMA OF HOMELESSNESS WITH HIS 'TWO CENTS' Justin Brito, far right, talking to a group of homeless people, some of whom became subjects in his dual-purpose Two Cents for Change project, an exhibit of portraits plus a winter clothing drive. Justin Brito/Photo KATHY YANCHUS kyanchus@metroland.com NEWS