The event provides financial assistance while strengthening diversity at the high school.
WESTFIELD — The Westfield High School community will step out Saturday in an effort to increase awareness and support for its homeless and poverty level students.
“A Mile in Your Shoes: A Walk for Change” was introduced last year to raise funds for the school’s Kinship Fund.
“Each year we see more and more agencies that help these kids get their budgets cut which means less and less to our students,” said organizer Alison E. Kelly.
Kelly, a guidance counselor, with assistance from Margaret Toomey, consumer science teacher, and the WHS Bridges project have mapped out two courses. Participants can choose either a two- or five-mile walk through the Montgomery Road area to help improve the quality of life for several students.
“The Kinship Funds helps to safeguard dreams,” Kelly said, noting the project was born two years ago by school counselor Catherine Tansey.
“We have students who have been abandoned by their caretakers and find themselves homeless. School is home for them since they are determined to complete their high school education here,” said Kelly. “This fund also helps students with intact families who are living within or below the poverty line,” she explained.
Walk participants are asked to donate $5 and/or solicit and collect pledges on their participation in the event. The walk will begin at Westfield High School on Montgomery Street at 9:30 a.m. Rain date will be Sunday.
The project is also seeking donations for its scheduled cookout, raffle prizes and cost of event supplies in addition to the Kinship Fund.
Kelly said the event last year drew 150 people and raised about $4,000. “This year we would like to increase that to 200 walkers and raise $5,000,.” she said.
Principal Raymond K. Broderick said, “The walk helps to financially support our Kinship Fund, but it is also a community activity that builds awareness of this type of need. It also helps to strengthen the diversity climate at Westfield High School.”
Donations in the form of checks should be made out to the WHS Kinship Fund and can be sent directly to the high school.
Kelly can be reached at the school by telephone at 572-6462 or 572-6463 or by email at a.kelly@schoolsofwestfield.org.