Family Promise Metrowest (FPM), a Natick-based nonprofit, is hosting its annual walkathon to raise awareness and funds to support families facing homelessness across the Metrowest region. 

This year’s “Walk for Change” will take place the weekend of May 1-2 in several Metrowest cities and towns. Families, friends, and other small groups will choose their own walk route and time over the course of this weekend-long event. Family-friendly activities will be offered leading up to the weekend, including a Kindness Rocks Project™ hosted in partnership with nonprofit SPARK Kindness and a Houses for Change® activity. Multiple contests, games, and other self-guided activities will also take place during the event.

Registration is now open at www.familypromisemetrowest.org, and t-shirts and fundraising prizes from Athleta, Ben & Jerry’s, Dunkin’, Kona Ice and more are available while supplies last. The registration site also features age-appropriate information and videos about homelessness for individuals and families eager to learn more before the event, in addition to suggested walking routes.

FPM’s mission is to transform the lives of families with children that are facing homelessness by mobilizing local communities to provide shelter, education, and comprehensive support. This annual walkathon raises funds for programs that support families on their path back to stability, including a shelter program and a homelessness prevention program. Local congregations, businesses, schools, and thousands of volunteers partner with FPM to address this issue by providing resources, guidance, and support to families as they bring themselves out of poverty and into a future filled with possibility. 

“Amid all the fun and games, this event really matters,” says Sue Crossley, Executive Director. “It’s one of our biggest fundraisers of the year, bringing in over 25% of our annual program budget and significantly impacting the lives of the families we serve.”

This event is made possible by many generous local sponsors including R.W. Holmes Commercial Real Estate, The Village Bank, Herb Connolly Auto Group, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Needham, Needham Bank, TJX, The Chandler Group, Eastern Bank, Tracy Boehme Realty, and Rubicon Builders.