Friends of the Poor Walk / Run 9-20-2025

The 18th Annual Friends Walk 

Saturday, September 20th, 2025 on Belle Isle

Walk with us at beautiful Belle Isle in Detroit for our 18th Annual Friends of the Poor Walk! This 5K walk brings together community members, Vincentians, and supporters for a morning of hope, compassion, and solidarity with our neighbors in need.

This 3-mile walk through the beautiful paths of Belle Isle is a great opportunity for us to proudly walk for our mission in the heart of Detroit.  It’s sure to be a day packed full of food, fun, and fundraising!  This year our goal is to have 1,000 Walkers and collectively raise $100,000 to support your local missions!  You can do it if we all work together!

Check-in begins at 9:00 AM, and the walk kicks off at 10:00 AM on the Cricket Field between the Belle Isle Fountain and Casino. Enjoy lunch provided by Matchan Nutrition Center and music from Detroit legend DJ Stacey “Hotwaxx” Hale!

All donations directly support our 130+ local Conferences serving people experiencing poverty across Southeast Michigan. Can’t attend in person? You can still walk with us in spirit by donating or sharing our mission.

Remember - all funds raised by your Conference stay with your Conference!  This is such a fantastic way to raise funds to fulfill your Conference Mission!

Launching a New Fundraising Platform

We are also excited to launch a new fundraising platform, JustGiving! This easy-to-use tool will allow participants to create personalized fundraising pages, set goals, and share their support with friends and family through email and social media. It’s a powerful way to spread awareness, encourage donations, and amplify the impact of our mission!

Registration is free with sign up available here:

https://host.nxt.blackbaud.com/registration-form/?formId=51c97bc5-7940-4809-b8aa-a157569b3dd9&envId=p-qkoE6KfC-0ONiLpCRvmUaA&zone=usa

There are no minimum fundraising requirements, but we encourage you and your Conference to fundraise for the mission.

To start fundraising, go to: justgiving.com/campaign/svdpdwalk25 

1. On the right side of the page, click the orange “Start Fundraising” button
2. Create your JustGiving account –sign up via email or connect your Facebook or Twitch account
3. Set your fundraising goal, personalize your page with information about why you’re fundraising and why others should support the good work that you do, and even create your own custom URL
4. Then start fundraising!

Fundraising pages perform better when they start off with a donation, so we encourage everyone to make the first donation on their own fundraising page.