Irving, TX – A group of walkers concerned about the poor and homeless in Irving will gather for the Friends of the Poor Walk Saturday, Oct. 25, beginning at 8 a.m. at Holy Family of Nazareth (HFN) Catholic Church, 2323 Cheyenne St., Irving. Walkers have been seeking sponsors and donations which will be funneled to the poor through HFN’s conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a global charitable organization devoted to the poor.
“This isn’t just a fund-raising event, although that is a very important part of it,” said Bob Greenfield of HFN’s SVdP group. “This is an opportunity for us to walk in solidarity with the poor, something we try to do as Vincentians whenever we can assist them. It’s our way of figurately walking in their shoes – and following in Christ’s footsteps – so we can better understand and have compassion for the poor and homeless. It’s what we are called to do.”
Registration on the day of the walk begins at 8 a.m. in front of the parish’s Family Life Center. Holy Family’s pastor, Fr. Jacob Dankasa, typically gives the walkers a rousing ‘pep’ talk before they set off on their walk at 9 am. The short route leads to Northwest Park, down the street from the church, and follows a path around a pond in the center of the park. Refreshments and t-shirts will be available while the supplies last. Four-legged furry friends are welcome too.
“We hope that anyone from the community who is concerned about the poor in Irving will join us,” Greenfield said.
Holy Family’s SVdP conference assists poor families and individuals by making partial payments of household bills such as rent and utilities, and by providing food to those in need.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a worldwide Roman Catholic lay organization and one of the oldest charitable organizations in the world. It was founded in Paris, France, in 1833. Its parish-based conferences provide financial, material, and emotional support to individuals and families in their local communities. In addition, the regional SVdP of North Texas operates a free pharmacy, a mini-loan program to relieve the poor from predatory loans and a SVdP Thrift Store in the Dallas area.
The Holy Family SVdP helpline in Irving is 972-665-8759. Messages left on the line are returned Monday through Saturday.
