Walk a Mile In Their Shoes
Do you know how many steps a homeless person averages per day?
We didn’t either.
Research shows we should walk more.
A report that came out a couple of years back stated that a series of health benefits could be obtained by increasing the number of steps we take daily. The number of steps needed to achieve better health outcomes was 8,000 steps per day.
The popularity of wearable technology makes it easy to track just how much walking we do, or don’t do, as Americans. At Gospel, Inc. we talk about our step count on a weekly basis, which motivates us to make sure we stay healthy through staying active.
Many days I find myself short on my step goal and need to play catch up by taking a break in the afternoon to add some more steps to my daily total.
To Walk or Not to Walk
The benefit for you and I is that we can choose to walk or not to walk. There’s a good chance if you’re reading this, you have a few different choices for transportation.
In addition, when I walk for the increased health benefits, this is a choice. I’m not being forced to take those steps in order to live or
Not so for the homeless
As an unsheltered person living in our community, many days start with waking and going on a search for food, water, a bathroom, or a safe place to simply wake up.
This gets more complicated when you add in personal items and possessions they carry while moving from place to place. The picture above may be a little extreme for most unsheltered, but the representation is similar in that anything of value; i.e. ID, phone, food stamp card, Social Security card, hygiene products, food, bottle of water, etc., are carried with the unsheltered throughout the day. Rarely do they leave any item of value behind due to the very real possibility of theft.
More challenging than personal items is the condition of those homeless who are diagnosed with debilitating medical conditions. Many of our aging homeless struggle with heart disease, diabetes, mobility issues, or chronic pain. All of these factors exacerbate the suffering of living unsheltered.
With a bit of research, we found that the average homeless person takes 29,000 steps per day.
Meaning there are some who walk more and some who walk less. However, thinking through the amount of walking that a homeless person does on a daily basis boggles the mind. It’s so different than our normal sedentary lifestyle, most of us lead.
Join Us to Increase Awareness
On April 12, 2025, Gospel, Inc. and the residents of Gospel Village are joining together at Lake Parker Park at 9:00 AM to increase awareness and raise crucial operational funds to continue the work of Gospel, Inc.
The team at Gospel, Inc. and residents of Gospel Village have partnered with sponsors in our community to bring awareness to the challenges of homelessness and highlight the solution found at Gospel Village. We’re titling this,
Walk to End Homelessness as we Walk a Mile In Their Shoes
Even though we will come nowhere near 29,000 steps in the one hour devoted to this cause, we will link arms and walk the park of Lake Parker for one hour to experience a small portion of the challenges and suffering that comes with life on the streets.
