Starting at Embry Rucker Community Shelter, hundreds of participants walked to help the homeless last Sunday.
"It took our voice to create this housing [at Embry Rucker Community Shelter], and fortunately it didn’t end there," said Fairfax County Board of Supervisor Cathy Hudgins (Hunter Mill), addressing the crowd before the event.
As part of the program before the event, Robert Goudie and Del. Ken Plum (D-36) presented awards to people who participated in the inaugural Reston Interfaith Neighborhood Giving campaign, or RING.
Several teams were honored for raising money that will benefit Reston Interfaith programs.
The miniwalk, along a two-mile route, helped raise money to support housing programs, including the Embry Rucker Community Shelter, domestic violence shelter, transitional and rental housing for working families. The walkathon sponsor, the Fannie Mae Foundation, matched contributions, providing needed funding to support people in need.
Last month, Reston Interfaith began its Help the Homeless program this year with a mini-walk Sept. 19, starting at the Laurel Learning Center in Reston. Sponsored by Comstock Homes and the Giving Circle of HOPE, about 120 children who attend the center participated in the miniwalk through the trails of Lake Anne.
Last year’s Help the Homeless events raised more than $35,000 for Reston Interfaith and included more than 400 walkers from the community. The group hopes to match or exceed that amount this year.