TRAVERSE CITY — It’s the 10th year of a powerful tradition at Northwestern Michigan college - a walk designed to show what homelessness looks and feels like in the heart of Traverse City.
Northwestern Michigan College students and community members gathered tonight for the annual walk for Health and Housing.
It’s a 90-minute guided tour led by longtime outreach advocate Ryan Hannon.
The walk steps off from Central United Methodist church and moves through key downtown stops - including the Government Center, Union Street Bridge, and Jubilee House - places where unhoused residents often seek help or shelter.
Students like Abigail Kowalski said this is a chance to understand homelessness outside of a textbook.
“If we get the opportunity to walk in their shoes, even if that’s only for 90 minutes, we should take it, said Kowalski. ” There are so many different people that go unnoticed, and even this small little bit of just putting our voice out there and putting ourselves out there might bring some attention to it and maybe change the outlook of some of the struggles that are put in the dark."
Between 2023 and 2022, homelessness increased by about 2% in Michigan.