Mission Waco said around 250 people showed up for its 12th annual Walk for the Homeless.
The walk started at 8 a.m. at the Mission Waco Meyers Center, where more than 70 new pairs of shoes were distributed to the homeless.
The crowd made up of various community members strolled down the streets, visiting a number of different spots around town like Compassion Ministries, My Brothers Keeper and the Salvation Army.
"Each of these places we'll stop at serve the poor in some way," said Jimmy Dorrell, executive director with Mission Waco. "They may serve the homeless they may serve people that are poor and homeless. We'll let those directors of those organizations educate the public about the work they do and the way the community can get involved with them."
According to the 2017 Point in Homeless Count, there are 221 homeless people living in shelters, camps and other locations around Waco.
"Our goal with the walk is to have them really get to understand that these are just normal folks that had life kick them hard," said Dorrell. "They've ended up on the streets or in a shelter, not because they're bad people, but because life was tough."
Dorrell said the walk helps put a face to poverty in the Central Texas.
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