Fundraiser walk raises awareness of homeless struggles

Residents laced their sneakers and took off for a 3-mile walk Saturday outside of The Tubman Museum, the starting point for the Loaves and Fishes Ministry’s first “Walk a Mile in My Shoes” fundraiser.

The walk offered participants a glimpse into the daily struggles faced by Macon’s homeless community.

The fundraiser was meant to highlight “the strength that it takes for our community to walk these miles every single day for food, for clothing and for medical attention,” said Joy King, a family nurse practitioner and ministry board member.

King, who teaches at Georgia College and State University and serves as president of the Georgia Nurses Association, led the 3-mile walk tracing the steps of homeless individuals.

“Together, we are honoring their resilience while also making a commitment to do our part,” she said.

The walk included stops at the ministry, Christ Church, Macon Outreach at Mulberry and Daybreak Day Resource Shelter before returning to the museum.

Individuals also had the option to do a virtual “walk” with their ticket cost still contributing to the ministry’s mission of helping Macon’s homeless and underserved communities.

Stephanie Strickland walked with her husband Wyatt and their sons Jonathan and Matthew. She said she hopes to find more community service opportunities.

“We just thought it would be something good to do around the community,” she added.

Homelessness doesn’t always mean lack of an actual home, Macon resident and walk participant Robert Fuller said. Some community members can’t afford food or other necessities because of housing expenses.

“These are homeless people — even if they have their own place to stay,” Fuller added.

King said homeless individuals are some of the most vulnerable populations and are unfortunately often forgotten.

“But they deserve the same care that anybody else gets,” she said.