A non-profit organization that aids and accommodates individuals in Cape Coral needing assistance is once again sponsoring a walk to benefit its mission.<\/p>\n
The fifth annual Walk for the Poor, hosted by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, St. Andrew Conference, takes place next Saturday, Feb. 21, at St. Andrew Catholic Church starting at 10 a.m. and ending at 1 p.m.<\/p>\n
The Walk for the Poor fundraiser has raised more than $16,000 each of the last four years, and has raised public awareness of individuals in need in Cape Coral.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a massively important event for us,\u201d said Cape SVdP President Rob Douglas. \u201cAll of our money comes from the donations of the parishioners at St. Andrew Catholic Church, along with the occasional grant that we may apply for, but mostly it comes from the parishioners. We have absolutely no paid staff. So the money that\u2019s donated goes directly to the folks in need within the Cape Coral community. Every little bit helps.\u201d<\/p>\n
On-site registration for the walk will begin at 9 a.m. in the school cafeteria, or participants can register online prior to the event. Registration is $15.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There is no set distance participants have to walk. They may choose to walk as much or as little as they would like around St. Andrew Church.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have people with walkers. We\u2019ve got wheelchairs in the path, kids with wagons, on bicycles. It\u2019s pretty to get out there and see that,\u201d Douglas said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Douglas said their services are needed more and more as the years pass, especially with the current cost of living. In fiscal year 2025, Cape SVdP processed 1,151 calls from individuals requesting assistance. Thanks to generous parishioners of St. Andrew, as well as grants from other conferences and the SVdP national office, the St. Andrew Conference distributed more than $200,000 in assistance to 548 households, including 641 children -record-breaking numbers for the non-profit. But there is always more work to be done.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe demand exceeds our ability to meet it,\u201d Douglas said. \u201cEverybody wants to come to Cape Coral because of the canals and the beautiful assets we have down here, but that also means landlords want to charge more for rent. We see young families trying to get started, and their rent goes up, but their salary does not, so they struggle to catch up. We see people who have an issue with their car, medical issues, and then they instantly go to living from paycheck to paycheck. We see older individuals that have been renting for years, and the rate goes up, but they\u2019re on a fixed income that doesn\u2019t increase a whole lot for them to catch up. We do what we can to help with immediate needs. We can\u2019t pay for everything, but we are able to make a big dent in whatever is past due. The demand has just been super high, especially the last year or so.\u201d<\/p>\n
CapeSVdP provides financial assistance to neighbors, helping put food on the table, keep a roof over their heads, prevent utility (water & electricity) shutoffs, buy much-needed prescriptions, provide bus passes or gas cards so they can get to work, and provide vouchers for furniture, clothing, and household items from its affiliated Cape Coral thrift store.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cape SVdP official said most of the neighbors who call CapeSVdP for assistance experience short-term challenges, such as illnesses\/injuries that prevent them from working or having to stay home from work to take care of loved ones, unexpected bills for car repairs, home repairs, and more. Cape SVdP steps in to provide an expedient support bridge to get them back on their feet.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe other reason we hold the walk is to offer awareness that a lot of people think Cape Coral is a very affluent area, and it is,\u201d Douglas said. \u201cBut just within\u00a0 a mile or two of that the church that we\u2019re in, we\u2019ve helped so many people. You should see a scatter map of all the homes that we\u2019ve helped within the Cape Coral community, it\u2019s pretty extensive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cape SVdP helps anyone and everyone they can in-need, regardless of their religious beliefs or culture.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve helped everybody,\u201d Douglas said. \u201cWe\u2019ve helped atheists -self- professed atheists \u2014 we\u2019ve helped Wiccans, we\u2019ve helped, you name it. We provide help to anybody who asks for it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Douglas said it\u2019s amazing to see the impact the non-profit makes, as it gives a tangible experience for those involved.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s so gratifying to be able to take a call on Monday and give them a call on Tuesday, go visit with them, and then pay that bill for them the same day,\u201d he said, noting all that they serve are open to prayer. \u201c(Regardless of their beliefs), they all said, \u2018sure, absolutely, please.\u2019 And those are the ones that just get to you, particularly, as we pray, they start to tear up and by the time we\u2019re leaving, they\u2019re giving us big bear hugs. And that\u2019s so gratifying.\u201d<\/p>\n
Douglas emphasized that the ability to make such a direct impact in people\u2019s lives is why those interested in volunteering should do so.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI go to their home,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s the other thing we do \u2014 we do home visits. We don\u2019t ask them to come to us. We don\u2019t ask them to fill out a bunch of forms. We don\u2019t ask them to do all these other things that these other government organizations do. We go directly to their homes where they feel the most comfortable. By being there and seeing what they\u2019re going through, how they are living, and the fact that their shelves are empty, there\u2019s nothing in the refrigerator, we can help more.\u201d<\/p>\n
Those interested in walking or making donation can visit\u00a0www.go.rallyup.com\/capesvdp.<\/p>\n
St. Andrew Catholic Church is at 2628 Del Prado Blvd., Cape Coral.<\/p>\n