The First Annual Winter Walk to End Elder Homelessness

Weston youth groups team up to end homelessness.

On Sunday, December 6, middle school students from St. Peter's Episcopal Church, First Parish Church, and St. Julia Parish came together for the First Annual Winter Walk to End Elder Homelessness. The goal of the 5k walk was to raise awareness about the unique challenges of elder homelessness, and to raise funds for Hearth's Outreach Program.

Raising Awareness

Elders are a vulnerable, but often overlooked, segment of the homeless population, and yet they make up roughly one third of Boston's homeless population. Imagine an aging person you know, trying to live in a shelter or on the street. It is a tragic reality for too many people.

On Friday, December 4, The Hearth Outreach Team met with the youth groups and had them pretend they were aging homeless individuas. Each kid was given a background story and had to navigate the system: collecting documents like birth certificates, applying for Social Security, and searching for permanent housing.

The Walk

The day of the walk was beautiful, with fresh white snow and a bright blue sky. The youth group surpassed their original fundraising goal of $4000 and decided to raise twice that much. Less than a week later, they have achieved that goal as well.

Everyone at Hearth is so impressed with the energy, enthusiasm, and compassion of the youth groups!