LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The rain wasn't showing any signs of slowing down, and it wasn’t stopping Lexington Rescue Mission's Annual Walk for Warmth.
It’s one of their fundraiser events so that supports their effort to support the unhoused community throughout the year. Last year, the organization says they helped over 100 people get into homes.
Laura Carr, the director of Lexington Rescue Mission, said, "For a lot of folks we're serving, this is a Godsend because they aren't sure how they are going to piece everything together."
"Walk for Warmth is a two-mile walk," Carr said. "The weather helps put into perspective what the unsheltered go through on a day-to-day basis. So when people support Lexington Rescue Mission, they have an idea of what the unhoused endure while others have lived through it."
"I went from sleeping in my car to having a room over my head," Thomasena Brown said.
A little over a year ago, Brown faced the choice to start over or put herself in danger. That’s when she decided to get involved with Lexington Rescue Mission.
Eventually, it led to moving out of her car and getting back on her feet—thanks to the nonprofit. Now, Brown is using her passion and life experiences to help others the way Lexington Rescue Mission helped her.
"This program literally saved my life," Brown said. "Now I have a roof over my head, and I'm free from bondage."
Brown is one of many people the organization is trying to help through its outreach efforts.
Carr added, "I think for a lot of us, we don’t think about the day-to-day realities of what homeless people go through. This is just a taste of that. For the folks that are here today, it's a way to say we see you, and we want to help out."
If you want to learn more about the nonprofit, visit their website at https://lexingtonrescue.org/.
