Woonsocket shelter set for annual walk to benefit homeless

WOONSOCKET – ShelterWalk 2015, the annual event put on by the Community Care Alliance to support The Woonsocket Family Shelter, is set to take place Oct. 17. This year’s event, the 27th, is honoring the shelter’s late co-founder, the Rev. Lionel A. Blain.
Blain, who was pastor emeritus of St. Joseph’s Church in Woonsocket, helped found the shelter in 1989.
The Community Care Alliance is hosting the shelter walk at River Island Park, with registration at 9 a.m. and the walk at 10 a.m.
“Father Blain was an early advocate for a homeless shelter in Woonsocket who joined with Paul Dempster and area clergy to see the shelter become a reality,” said Nancy Benoit, CCA board of directors vice chairwoman. “Father Blain had a deep concern for the homeless and needy families in Woonsocket and consistently worked to find solutions to improve their lives.”
More than 25 years later, the Woonsocket Family Shelter provides emergency housing and supportive services to help families address issues that contributed to homelessness so they can get on a path to a better life. With support from the program, 84 percent , of those who left the shelter last year moved to permanent or transitional housing.
Individuals, families and teams from schools, churches, businesses and neighborhoods are invited to participate in the walk.
CBIZ, Provider Group, KLR, Mutual of America and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan are sponsors. Sponsorship opportunities are still available.
For more information about how to get involved as a sponsor, walker or volunteer, visit CommunityCareRI.org or contact Wendy Pires at (401) 235-7245.

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