A SMALL team from Ruby’s Therapeutic Youth Service marched through the streets of Mount Gambier on Friday to help raise awareness for homelessness in the Limestone Coast.
The third annual Pride In Your Stride – held on the last day of homelessness week – focused on the daily struggle of someone who is homeless.
The initiative also called on the community to donate new footwear to the local community in the hope that those facing tough times would still have shoes to walk in.
Braving chilly conditions with her small team, Ruby’s Therapeutic Youth Service coordinator Sharon Gray hailed this year’s event a success.
“It was very cold, but when you are experiencing homelessness, you do not get a choice about the weather and the whole idea is that when someone who is homeless wakes up they have to walk everyday,” she said.
“We would have come rain hail or shine because it is all about raising awareness for the community that homelessness is still happening even in small towns such as Mount Gambier.”
Ms Gray said the community support had been amazing, with dozens of shoes being donated to the organisation.
“The community has been very kind donating shoes – lots of people have been going to the collection bins and we are really appreciative of the businesses who let us take up a bit of space for this initiative,” she said.
“The shoes are distributed by ac.care to people who might be going through a rough time and a pair of shoes can make a real difference to them.”
In Australia there are up to 120,000 people who are without a home each evening and Ms Gray said every situation was different.
“Without a home does not necessarily mean they are living on the street on a park bench, they may be living in their car or in overcrowded situations,” she said.
“There’s so many reasons why homelessness is an issue and our walk is our way to try and get people to pause and think about it.”
