Friendship Place's 10th Annual Walk to End Homelessness at the National Mall

Event To Highlight Street Outreach Work with Theme, 'There's No Place Like Home'

WASHINGTON, April 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Friendship Place, the leading nonprofit dedicated to eradicating homelessness in the Washington, DC region, proudly announces its 10th annual Friendship Place Walk will take place on April 27, 2024 on the National Mall. This year's event, themed "There's no Place Like Home" aims to raise awareness and crucial resources for combating the crisis of homelessness, with a specific emphasis on the organization's Street Outreach efforts. All are invited to attend Friendship Place Walk. To register, donate, or learn more, visit friendshipplacewalk.org.

"While shelters are often seen as the answer to homelessness, our message for this year's Friendship Place Walk is clear: 'There's no Place Like Home,'" says Friendship Place President & CEO Jean-Michel Giraud. "Housing is the solution to homelessness, and we are committed to providing individuals with the stability of a place they can call 'home.'"

Friendship Place Walk will commence at the Lincoln Memorial, featuring DJ EZ Street and a gathering of hundreds of supporters engaging in entertaining and informative activities. Attendees will hear from impactful speakers, including political figures, street outreach workers, and individuals with lived experiences of homelessness. Following the kickoff, participants will embark on a walk around the National Mall, demonstrating solidarity in the fight to end homelessness.

Friendship Place traces its roots back to 1991, originating from its street outreach efforts in the NW DC region. Despite initial skepticism from residents, volunteers discovered over 100 individuals experiencing homelessness during a nighttime street count, leading to the establishment of Friendship Place's first facility, the 'Little Blue House' on Wisconsin Avenue, now known as the Welcome Center.

Today, Friendship Place has a force of nearly 200 dedicated staff members, operates seven facilities, and serves 5,000 individuals including families with children, youth, and veterans, through a partnership with the Veterans Affair. The organization provides homelessness prevention assistance, rehousing, medical services, and more, while also playing a pivotal role in Homeward DC, a comprehensive plan to "make homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring" developed by DC Mayor Muriel Bowser.

The Street Outreach team at Friendship Place serves some of the hardest-to-reach individuals, including those who have been homeless for years or even decades. "We meet vulnerable people where they are, on their turf," says Friendship Place Outreach Specialist Liza Poris. "We provide resources to address immediate needs such as food, clothing, medical assistance, and access to vital documents. Ultimately, our goal is to build relationships and trust so we can work alongside them to remove barriers and navigate a path towards long-term housing and stability."

About Friendship Place Walk and Friendship Place

Proceeds from the Friendship Place Walk will directly support Friendship Place's innovative programs aimed at empowering participants to rebuild their lives. With effective, nationally recognized, and award-winning services, Friendship Place is the DC-region-wide leader in the movement to end homelessness.

Media Contact

Yimka Odebode
Media, Marketing & Communications Director
Friendship Place
[email protected]
202-306-1958

SOURCE Friendship Place