By Fred Alvarado Fred is a community journalist with FOCUS MEDIA ARTS CENTRE

Recently, Fred Victor charitable organization celebrated Fred’s Walk 2023 where hundreds walked to wage war on homelessness. Fred Victor’s annual walk has grown into a well-attended community event which unites charitable citizens who want to help.

Fred’s Walk is a 10km guided tour of Fred Victor’s downtown sites. Much of Fred Victor’s infrastructure is too widespread to be easily viewed on a walking tour in the area between Yonge and Sherbourne from Front St. to Gerrard St.

Every year, Fred’s Walk includes a guided tour to visit Fred Victor Community Hub in Regent Park located at 40 Oak St.

In a beautiful sunny day, Fred’s Walk 2023 began with an opening event at the Daniels Spectrum auditorium for the land acknowledgement and speeches by Michele Erskine, Vice Chair and CEO of OUTFRONT Canada, and Keith Hambly, CEO of Fred Victor followed by presentation of Fred Victor’s new shelter hotel, The Edward Village, that welcomes nearly 280 people who have no home.

This year, Fred’s Walk surpassed their goal and raised over $200,000. The funds raised will go into Fred Victor’s lifesaving programming which supports over 3000 people every day.

 “As much as we need the money, we need people to learn, understand and help us as we help people who have homelessness needs throughout the city, because it does exist and we are doing our best to make sure is reduced and eliminated and Fred Victor is working really hard to do something about that, thank you very much for taking out”, said Michele Erskine in her opening remarks.

Fred’s Walk is an important community event to Regent Park in order to raise awareness and learn about the causes and effects of homelessness and poverty in Downtown Toronto.