Courtesy Photo Participants in the 2023 Walk Against Homelessness and Hunger pose for a photo. This year's walk will be held on Saturday, Nov. 2.

ALPENA — The 2024 Walk Against Homelessness and Hunger will be held on Saturday, Nov. 2. Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Salvation Army Church, 722 N. 2nd Ave., Alpena. The walk will be held from 10 to 11 a.m.

Families, children, and pets are welcome.

This is the 22nd annual event, according to organizer Randy MacAulay. He explained who is sponsoring the event.

“It’s really under the umbrella of the Northeast Michigan Coalition for the Prevention of Homelessness and Hunger, but that’s defunct now,” MacAulay said. “And a subcommittee of that organization was the Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Committee, and that committee is me.”

There is no charge to participate in the walk. Donations are welcome. Funds collected will be given to local programs providing homelessness and/or hunger assistance.

“It’s held the first Saturday every November, because it’s National Homelessness Awareness Month,” MacAulay said.

He said while November is dedicated to awareness of homelessness, it’s an issue we should pay attention to all year long.

“It’s kind of a nice walk,” MacAulay said. “It’s about an hour … It’s basically the same route (every year).”

He said the route is flat and under two miles.

He reiterated that everyone is welcome to participate in the walk, regardless of whether they donate.

“We do not solicit funds,” he said. “We do not ask for anything. We just ask people to walk, and if they want to donate, I have the means to accept that. All that money — 100% of it — goes to the Northeast Michigan Community Foundation. There’s an account there … Any money that comes in on that walk goes directly to that spendable account.”

Last year’s walk raised $1,200 for local programs providing homelessness and/or hunger assistance.

“We encourage everybody to bring their little critters, if they want to take them for a walk,” MacAulay said.

Refreshments will be offered before and after the walk.

“In the beginning, you can get coffee and donuts and cookies and fruit,” MacAulay said.

He said many people in our community are struggling, and it’s good to think about what we can do to help.

“We are basically a working class community, and a pretty good percentage are suffering from either lack of shelter or food,” MacAulay said. “Even clothing, too … We want to make sure that nobody goes hungry. We want to make sure that everyone has shelter. We are striving for that, and we’re putting a dent in it.”

If you have questions, call MacAulay at 989-657-9313.