In Kelly’s Words: How The Long Walk Home Began
I’ve always believed that if you see a need in your community, it’s your responsibility to try to help.
That belief is what brought me to the YMCA and, ultimately, to create the vision behind The Long Walk Home.
I became deeply involved in the Y Saves Lives campaign, serving as a member of the campaign cabinet. The more I learned about the YMCA’s work and the men living at the Men’s Residence, the more invested I became.
What stood out to me most was the people. I saw the relationships YMCA staff had built with the men and how genuinely they cared about them.
I fed off that passion. What started as me getting involved in a small way quickly turned into me being all in.
How The Long Walk Home Began
I’ve always felt that if I’m going to ask people to support a cause, I should be willing to make a sacrifice myself.
I ask people for money all the time to support various causes, and I like to do something big so that people feel like I’m invested in it—that I’m sacrificing something.
I had already shaved my head for charity and slept outside for two very cold nights. I wanted to do something different—something that would push me, but that I could still physically do.
Because of some physical limitations, I started thinking about what kind of challenge would allow me to make a meaningful sacrifice.
Walking seemed like the answer.
So, I came up with the idea of doing a long, multi-day walk to raise money and awareness for the men living at the YMCA Men’s Residence
I was prepared to do it alone. And then it just snowballed.
The YMCA staff and volunteers embraced the idea and helped turn my personal challenge into a well-run community event. I created the concept behind The Long Walk Home, but they elevated it into something much bigger than I could have created on my own.
I’ll always be grateful for that.
Why The Long Walk Home Became Personal
The more I learned about the Men’s Residence, the more I realized this was about much more than affordable housing. We need housing that is affordable, but we also need the right supports and services around it. Everyone’s circumstances are different, and sometimes people need someone to help them find a way forward.
This became personal for me because I had seen that struggle firsthand.
My dad struggled with mental health and addiction issues, and I saw how difficult it could be when someone is struggling and doesn’t have the support they need.
So, when I looked at the men living at the Y, I didn’t just see a housing issue. I saw people who had their own stories, struggles, hopes and potential.
Just days after we announced The Long Walk Home, a fire broke out on the third floor of the Men’s Residence. I watched the YMCA staff immediately step up for the men—sitting with them, supporting them and helping them through the uncertainty.
The men were distraught. Many didn’t know if their belongings were okay.
It brought home to me just how little some of these men have, and yet how resilient they are.
That’s really what The Long Walk Home became about for me—not just raising money but making sure these men know that their community sees them, cares about them and believes they deserve more.
More Than a Walk
When I first came up with the idea, I thought I was simply going to walk 75 kilometres over two days to raise money and awareness.
I didn’t know what it would become.
The heart of The Long Walk Home has always been the same: I wanted to show people that I was willing to sacrifice something myself for the cause I was asking them to support.
I wanted to walk alongside the men we were asking our community to stand behind.
Because sometimes raising money isn’t enough.
Sometimes you need to show people that you’re willing to take the first step yourself.
