Despite a gloomy sky speckled with rainclouds, more than 3,000 people gathered around a stage before embarking on a two-mile walk. 

The common thread was clear: participants were united by a mission to address the housing crisis, and many had lived experience with homelessness. 

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Winter Walk Boston. Each February, thousands of individuals unite at the Boston Common, determined to raise awareness and funds for Boston’s homeless population. 

The kick-off ceremony featured a brief instrumental performance before NBC10 Boston reporter Melody Mendez stepped up to deliver a powerful message to the crowd. 

“Imagine the impact on our system, on our hospitals, on our shelters,” Mendez said, pointing to the urgency of growing budget cuts. 

She also emphasized the humanity behind the cause. “They don’t have a home. They have love.”

Soon after, the walk began, leaving the Common dotted with protest signs and the bobbing of the event’s signature purple beanies.

Although the walk is typically held during one of the coldest months to highlight the urgency of homelessness, organizers rescheduled the event for March this year, following a record breaking snow storm in February. 

The government has recently proposed major funding cuts to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which could reduce federal housing aid available to Massachusetts.. 

The cuts are expected to impact at least 3,800 Massachusetts households and hundreds of thousands in America. 

In December, Carvell Curry, a 62-year-old man who had experienced homelessness for over a decade, died outside of South Station following exposure to freezing temperatures. 

Boston City Councilor Miniard Culpepper wrote in a resolution following Curry’s death in December, “His preventable death highlights the consequences of gaps [in the] cold-weather response of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and the city of Boston for unhoused individuals,” and affirmed to take action. 

One of the most impactful moments of the day was the focus on encouraging others to share their story as a form of destigmatization. 

Delphia Bizzell, now a member of the Winter Walk Board of Directors, shared her experience with homelessness.

Bizzell and her husband moved to Boston, and shortly after, found themselves homeless. Despite being married for over a decade and a half, the two had to separate due to shelters not allowing them to live together due to a lack of co-ed facilities.

Through her story, she emphasized that anyone could be homeless tomorrow. 

“We didn’t wake up and say, ‘I want to be homeless,’” she asserted. 

The resounding theme of the day was that nobody is alone, even in the midst of a crisis. 

“Today is a love fest,” Mendez stated, quoting Bizzell’s philosophy.