Love Walk 2008

Written by: Kate Snyder, Executive Assistant

The freezing cold temperatures of early February weren’t enough to deter the hundreds of young people who turned out to tromp through the streets of East Liberty on Sunday February 10th. These dedicated young people were participating in the 18th Annual Love Walk for the Poor.

The Love Walk is an annual event of the Youth and Young Adult Ministries of the Catholic Dioceses of Pittsburgh. Each year, youth groups and young adult programs from Catholic parishes around Pittsburgh join together to celebrate mass and participate in the charity walk. Mass is held at Sacred Heart Parish on Shady Ave. and then the participants hike one mile through the heart of Shadyside to the East End Cooperative Ministry Food Pantry (located in East Liberty Presbyterian Church.)

The really cool thing is, everyone carries boxes and bags of non-perishable food items that are donated to the EECM Food Pantry. By carrying their donations with them from Sacred Heart to EECM, the participants simulate what it would be like to have to carry all of your possessions with you, as our homeless clients do daily.

The 2008 Love Walk for the Poor was the most successful yet -- these dedicated young philanthropists donated more than 1,000 pounds of much-needed food to the Pantry. This event is the annual kick-off to EECM's Have a Heart for Hunger Campaign. What a great start! Thanks to everyone who participated.