Local YMCA team walks 75 km to support men’s housing programs

A team representing local YMCAs embarked on a 75 kilometre trek Thursday, with their adventure beginning in Brantford, and wrapping up Friday afternoon in downtown Hamilton.

All to raise money for important programs for residents of the YMCA.

By the time CHCH News caught up with the group in Burlington, they had already walked 45 kilometres, and were geared up for the home stretch.

“We’re walking 75 kilometres to raise money for the men’s residence and transitional program at the downtown Hamilton Y,” said Manny Figueiredo, the president and CEO of YMCA Hamilton, Burlington, Brantford.

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This is the third annual Long Walk Home fundraiser for the YMCA. Their goal was to bring in $40,000 to help support men’s programs at the Y.

“As of last night, we raised $50,000, and the first leg of our walk was yesterday — around 45 kilometres,” said Figueiredo. “We started at the Laurier Brantford Y, and we finished at the Flamborough YMCA.”

On Friday, they walked from the Flamborough YMCA to the Y in Burlington, finishing up at the downtown Hamilton location in the afternoon where the money will be spent.

“It will help tremendously,” said Figueiredo. “We subsidize men often who maybe can’t afford, in the residence program, the very affordable rent, or just supports with healthcare, food security, clothing, or often even helping them prepare for job interviews.”

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“This fundraiser is critical, we provide supporting — we have 174 men’s residence, so annually support over 244 men, and the funding is critical to make sure we’ve got wraparound services and to run the operation as we need,” said Genevieve Hladysh, who said this was her third walk.

It was no walk in the park, as the team dealt with rain and stormy weather on Thursday, and in total it took them about 16 hours to make the 75 kilometre journey.

“It’s a challenge, although it seems like it’s just walking, it’s a tough grind, and when Kelly had come up with this idea for the walk, it was really to simulate the experience that people go through with homelessness — being on their feet long days.”

But they say it was worth it, just to keep hundreds of men off the street.

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