'Coldest Night' walk happening to help those dealing with homelessness
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - There are a lot of people in Pittsburgh dealing with homelessness so what is going to be done about it?
Pittsburghers are known for their kind hearts and this weekend there's a chance to act on it.
Bethelem Haven's hosting "Coldest Night of the Year" today and it's an outdoor walk in the cold on the North Shore in an effort to raise awareness of what people experiencing homelessness are going through.
Part of the walk is bringing attention to the fact that people living outside have a 10 times greater mortality rate than the average person.
So far around 70 walkers have signed up but they're looking for more.
They have set a fundraising goal of $25,000 and they're about halfway there.
Walkers who do sign up can take part in a 2K or 5K loop.
"Fundamentally understanding that these are individuals who are not homeless because they choose to be or not homeless because they're lazy or not homeless because they simply don't want to work," said Anette Fetchko, the executive director. "These are individuals who have had some really tragic trauma in their lives."
The event kicks off today at 4 p.m. at Stage AE with the walk stepping off at 5 p.m.