Family fun walk helps homeless

June 4, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

By ABBY SLANKER

With the sun shining down on them, Family Promise of Mahoning Valley sponsored its Walk Home - A Family Fun Walk May 21 to raise money to benefit homeless families in Mahoning and Trumbull counties.

The event was a three-mile walk along the MetroParks Bikeway in Canfield, which started at Old North Church. Walkers collected donations and earned a T-shirt with a total of $25 in donations and a hoodie sweatshirt with a total of $100 in donations.

According to Tracie Stephens, treasurer of Family Promise of Mahoning Valley, walkers had raised more than $3,000.

“As of this morning, our walkers have raised a little more than $3,000. That’s very good for our first year. We hope to make this an annual event and we are hopeful it will grow each year. We also received a grant of $10,000 from the Youngstown Foundation,” Stephens said.

Sponsors of the walk included Sam’s Club, JMCE Productions, LLC, Steve’s Teez Custom Screen Printing and the Youngstown Foundation.

The mission of Family Promise of Mahoning Valley is to offer homeless families the opportunity to achieve housing stability and employment by providing short-term shelter, food, case management and hospitality while utilizing local resources within local congregations and the community. Family Promise is a cooperative effort to address the needs of homeless families with children.

Host congregations include Howland Community Church, Howland United Methodist Church, Niles First Christian Church, The Church of the Blessed Sacrament, Niles First United Methodist Church, Girard First United Methodist Church, Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Poland United Methodist Church, Warren First United Methodist Church, Mt. Olivet United Church of Christ, Boardman United Methodist Church, First Federated North Jackson and Poland Presbyterian Church.

For more information on Family Promise of Mahoning Valley, visit www.fpmv.org.