BRATTLEBORO — Groundworks Collaborative will hold the sixth annual Hike for the Homeless fundraiser on Saturday, Oct. 1, on Mount Wantastiquet in Hinsdale, New Hampshire.
There will be two start times, according to a news release: 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., each beginning at the Mountain Road trailhead in Hinsdale (an immediate left after the second bridge on Route 119 when coming from downtown Brattleboro). Registration begins at 9:30 for the 10 a.m. start, and at noon for the 12:30 p.m. start.
Whether hiking to the summit or walking the River Trail at the mountain's base, participants can expect spectacular fall-foliage views of the town of Brattleboro. Hikers may raise funds individually (a minimum of $50 is suggested) or as a team (suggested minimum $250).
All proceeds from the Hike benefit Groundworks' programs to house and support families and individuals experiencing homelessness in Brattleboro and surrounding communities.
Groundworks Collaborative formed in June 2015 from the merger of Morningside Shelter and the Brattleboro Area Drop In Center. It offers food, shelter, and support services to about 1,500 people per year.
Groundworks Shelter provides 30 beds for families and individuals - serving about 100 people per year, while the Seasonal Overflow Shelter (for which a location hasn't yet been determined for this coming winter) provided a warm place to sleep and a nightly meal for 204 people last winter.
Groundworks operates the region's busiest food shelf, provides housing case management for over 100 area households, and is a financial intermediary for over 50 people receiving Social Security disability benefits who have trouble balancing a fixed monthly budget.
Groundworks Drop In Center on South Main Street is a day shelter - offering a place where those with nowhere else to go can take a shower, do laundry, check mail and email, use a phone, prepare a meal, and get a hot cup of coffee.
According to Libby Bennett, Groundworks' development director, Hike for the Homeless is one of the organization's largest annual fundraisers. In years past, as many as 150 participants have raised over $20,000 to help house those experiencing homelessness. This year's goal is $25,000.
Refreshments will be available for all registered participants, and prizes (including a one-month membership at the Outer Limits Health Club and gift certificates to Peter Havens and Sam's Outdoor Outfitters, among others) will be awarded to top fundraising hikers.