Saint John walkathon hopes to raise $45K for anti-poverty programs

About 200 Saint John walkers will gather outside Market Square on Saturday night to raise money to help run a shelter for homeless men and provide services for people in need.

The Coldest Night of the Year walkathon is being organized in 90 cities across Canada this year.

Chanelle Morgan, the office and community co-ordinator for Outflow Ministry, said they have already raised about $18,000.

The charity is hoping to raise $45,000 by the time the last person finishes the walk on Saturday night.

The event allows people to raise money as individuals or groups and they then participate in a 2K or 5K walk.

"It is a good community building event where people just get together and they encourage each other in the fundraising and along the route as well," Morgan said on Information Morning Saint John.

The event will start at the Market Square atrium and walkers will go through Waterloo Village and the 5K loop heads up to Queen's Square.

The money raised during the event will go into Outflow Ministry's general fund to help it deliver programs to people in poverty.

Morgan said this fundraiser is important for the organization so it can deliver services for at-risk individuals in Saint John.

"I would say that the need is pretty great. We meet a lot of people who come in throughout the day, our shelter is operating with 18 to 20 men a night," she said.

There is added pressure on local organizations in the city considering the January closure of the Safe Harbour youth shelter.

Safe Harbour had a 10-bed facility that gave youth aged 16 to 24 a place to stay during shortterm emergencies.