Kora-lea Vidal, once a running back for CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 silver-medal-winning national football team, says she never thought sheSA国际影视传媒檇 escape domestic violence and become homeless.

Vidal, 36, often posts videos on TikTok, where sheSA国际影视传媒檚 amassed nearly 55,000 followers. She covers tough content but also strives to SA国际影视传媒渟how thereSA国际影视传媒檚 a beauty in the struggle.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 interesting because, when I fell into homelessness myself, as much as itSA国际影视传媒檚 a struggle just to meet your basic needs like food, shelter and showers, thereSA国际影视传媒檚 kind of like a weird sense of freedom to it as well.SA国际影视传媒�

She says her troubles help fuel her mission to end world hunger, starting in some rough areas of downtown Edmonton. In 2017, she started a humanitarian movement called Live Lifted dedicated to meeting that goal.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou donSA国际影视传媒檛 know how many times people come up and thank me for doing humanitarian work and capturing beautiful moments with their loved ones who they actually lost to addiction.SA国际影视传媒�

Vidal was born in Prince Rupert, B.C., known as the SA国际影视传媒淐ity of RainbowsSA国际影视传媒� on the northern West Coast. Vidal says she grew up a tough mountain girl who played rugby, and that she was raised by her dad, who died when she was seven.

She incorporated rainbow designs and colours into the branding of her social media and organization because they represent a SA国际影视传媒減rayer for humanitySA国际影视传媒� in the Bible, she says.

Vidal had a son when she was 25, but would continue to play football and breastfeed him at halftime. She retired from the game in order to focus putting her son through sports as he got older.

SA国际影视传媒淏ut thatSA国际影视传媒檚 when life took a turn for the worse,SA国际影视传媒� she says.

She says she wound up in a toxic relationship and stumbled upon the drug scene, then began struggling with addiction for five years.

Today she frequents the streets, but in a different way. She distributes donations and interviews people who have no choice but to call sidewalks, alleys, parking lots and parks home.

SA国际影视传媒淎t the time, I didnSA国际影视传媒檛 actually know there was a need in Edmonton. I was thinking more so about Third World countries.SA国际影视传媒�

Since beginning her work seven years ago, Vidal says sheSA国际影视传媒檚 grown alarmed with how many more homeless people are in Edmonton today.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 really given me a change in perspective, itSA国际影视传媒檚 opened my eyes, and itSA国际影视传媒檚 opened my heart,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淚 actually stumbled into homelessness myself.SA国际影视传媒�

Vidal says over the past few weeks sheSA国际影视传媒檚 been without a home, and that this has been her reality SA国际影视传媒渙ff and onSA国际影视传媒� for over a year now. She says the streets can often be violent.

SA国际影视传媒淎 lot of people are so desperate that they will actually steal from other homeless people.SA国际影视传媒�

She said not all are like that, but there are SA国际影视传媒渂ad apples.SA国际影视传媒�

Vidal says there were times she had to stay in a tent, and couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 sleep because it was too cold.

She says fear of encampment fires didnSA国际影视传媒檛 prevent her, or the people sheSA国际影视传媒檚 come across, from sheltering in tents.

SA国际影视传媒淚 honestly couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 believe that I went from taking care of people on the streets to being on the streets myself.SA国际影视传媒�

Vidal says there are many ways someone can end up homeless.

SA国际影视传媒淲hen I go out to do my outreach, I donSA国际影视传媒檛 just hand out food and clothing and just part ways, I make an effort to get to know the people that ISA国际影视传媒檓 serving.SA国际影视传媒�

Vidal published a TikTok video in 2021 that got more than two million views after she came across a man sitting on a mattress behind a dumpster in an Edmonton parking lot during a frigid February night.

Questioning how he would survive, Vidal gave the stranger a winter jacket, pillow and a blanket, while her son recorded from the warmth and safety of their car.

SA国际影视传媒淚 load up my vehicle with all sort of donations, and some of the donations you donSA国际影视传媒檛 think someone will even want. But I tell you, every last little bit goes, and there are still people hungry and needing.SA国际影视传媒�

Vidal says she has dipped into her own pocket to get people warm clothes.

SA国际影视传媒淧eople are getting frostbite left, right and centre.SA国际影视传媒�

Vidal says thereSA国际影视传媒檚 still so much stigma around homelessness and addiction, but more people are needed to help.

SA国际影视传媒淎 lot of people take action around the holiday season, but this is SA国际影视传媒榬ound-the-clock, yearlong work.

SA国际影视传媒淓very day is a struggle out here.SA国际影视传媒�