PONTIAC, Mich. – Grace Centers of Hope, Southeast Michigan’s oldest and largest homeless shelter, will host the 5th Annual ‘Walk a Mile in My Shoes’ Walk-a-Thon at the Detroit Zoo in Royal Oak on Saturday, June 5, 2010. Proceeds from the Walk-a-Thon will benefit the Children’s Programs at Grace Centers of Hope, including food, clothing and shelter for program participants, free medical and dental care, mentorship and after-school learning, and recreational activities. Since 2005, this annual event has helped raise critical awareness and support for the largest homeless population in the United States: children.
“Unfortunately, children and youth have often been an overlooked and neglected segment in the homeless population,”
In addition to supporting ongoing Children’s Programs at Grace Centers of Hope, proceeds from this year’s Walk-a-Thon also will help the nonprofit organization extend its outreach to more of the 1,300 homeless youth currently in Oakland County. To further reach this objective, Grace Centers of Hope has set a fundraising goal of $40,000 to be raised through corporate sponsorships and walkers’ pledges at the event.
“We are very pleased to have two special guests at this year’s event – Detroit Lions wide receiver Herman Moore and PAWS, the official mascot of the Detroit Tigers,” said Clark. “Both will help us welcome, entertain and thank the more than 500 participants who are coming together to fight homelessness in our community.”
Participants must register online. All registrants will receive a customizable Web page and online tools to help them meet their fundraising goals. Cost is $25 per person and includes an event t-shirt on event day. All participants must raise a minimum of $50 to walk on the event day. Grace Centers of Hope is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and all donations greater than $50 are tax-deductible.
For more information on registering to walk, building a walk team, or becoming a sponsor, visit www.gracecentersofhope.org, or contact Adrian Laux at (248) 334-2187, ext. 31.
