Walk-A-Thon Raises Money & Awareness About Homeless

ROYAL OAK (WWJ) - Hundreds of people will walk around the Detroit Zoo Saturday morning , but it's not just to see the animals. The "Walk a Mile in My Shoes" walk-a-thon will benefit a segment of the homeless population you rarely hear about: children.

All proceeds will go to children's programs at Grace Centers of Hope in Pontiac , one of the largest homeless shelters in southeast Michigan.

Pastor Kent Clark is CEO of Grace Centers and spoke with WWJ: "Children that come to Grace Centers of Hope have not lived in the same place for over six months, their entire life, we want the children here at Grace Centers to have just a great and productive summer," says Clark.

According to the Homeless Management Information System Data Report (2010), it is estimated that there are more than 100,000 homeless people on any given night in Michigan.  Of this statistic, one out of every three homeless persons is a child, at the average age of seven years old.