ORLANDO, Fla. — For Anissa King, one of the most important things to remember about homelessness is that it’s something that could theoretically happen to anyone.

“It could be us. It could be me. It could be you,” King said. “And so I think it’s very important that we really rethink homelessness. We might not be able to end it, but we surely can help better manage it.”

On Monday, King began her HOPE in Motion walk, an effort she’s embarking on to raise funds and awareness for homeless services. She’ll walk more than 230 miles – the distance between Orlando and Miami — over the next week, with the goal of raising $10,000 for the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida. 

For the next week, King will walk around Lake Eola thirty times a day every day beginning at 7:15 a.m. Anyone is welcome and invited to join her for part of her walk, either virtually or in-person; you just need to email her at hopeinmotionorlando@gmail.com.

All funds raised will go to the Coalition, which provides a variety of resources for people experiencing homelessness, including emergency shelter and personalized case management programs. Last year, the Coalition said it helped more than 1,500 people move out of homelessness and into permanent housing.

“Even in the best of times, people are one paycheck, medical crisis, or [car breakdown] away from being homeless,” said Meredith Bekemeyer, director of development for the Coalition.

She said during the coronavirus pandemic, the Coalition has noticed an increase in need. More people experiencing homelessness for the first time are calling to ask for help than ever before, Bekemeyer said.

“That’s why it’s just really amazing that Anissa is doing this, and especially at this time, when we are seeing an increase in need,” Bekemeyer said.

King said she’s walking in memory of her friend, John Johnson, who lived in the woods off Mercy Drive for thirty years. She said she helped Johnson find stable housing and reconnect with his estranged daughter before he died in December 2019.

Molly Duerig is a Report for America corps member who is covering Affordable Housing for Spectrum News 13. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.