I'm teaming up with UMD Social Policy Council to raise money to support people experiencing homelessness in DC. We’re participating in Friendship Walks, a 1.5 walk around the national mall focused on ending homelessness.

The walk supports Friendship Place, a nonprofit I started volunteering with this summer. They work to empower individuals and families experiencing homelessness to rebuild their lives, find homes, get jobs, and reconnect with friends, family, and the community.

In August, I interviewed mothers and grandmothers who worked with Friendship Place to move into their new homes. Their descriptions of experiencing homelessness were heart-wrenching. It made their stories of working with Friendship Place, and the love and support they felt, all the more heartwarming.

One woman said to me “I can know I can call my call my case manager anytime, she’s got my back.” Friendship Place “has the back” of all the people they help to find housing and stay in housing. Last year, Friendship Place prevented or ended homelessness for 1,640 people, including 355 veterans, and 572 children in the families served. In total, Friendship Place made a difference in the lives of more than 3,700 people in 2018, providing access to jobs, medical and psychiatric—care, food, and much, much more.

You can be a part of this too. Donate to my page, share this with friends, or even sign up to join UMD Social Policy Council’s walk team out on the Mall.

By supporting Friendship Walks, you are allowing Friendship Place to create a lasting impact in the thousands of lives they help each year. Together, we can ensure everyone in the DC region has a place to call home.