5 Reasons to Register for Winter Walk 2025 New York City!

On Saturday, December 7th, 2025, hundreds of New Yorkers will come together at the Naumburg Bandshell in Central Park for the 3rd Annual Winter Walk NYC—a powerful morning of solidarity, community, and action in the fight to end homelessness.

Housed and unhoused people - families, children, advocates, outreach workers, change-makers, and even their dogs - will gather in one of the most iconic public spaces in the world walking shoulder to shoulder as a community focused on ending homelessness in New York City, and everywhere.

In 2025, homelessness is surging to record highs while federal budget cuts gut essential programs, pushing more people onto the streets and undermining the frontline organizations fighting to help them. Winter Walk is taking action, raising critical funds for our Organizational Partners who are preventing homelessness, securing housing, and defending the dignity of unhoused people in their communities. To date, more than 55,000 have participated in Winter Walk events, raising more than $5.5 million for 30 service providers across the United States.

We hope you will join us! If you’re not convinced yet, here are 5 more reasons to register for Winter Walk 2025 New York City:

5. To Involve Your Whole Family In the Fight Against Homelessness

This is an event for everyone—families, children, friends, coworkers, and even dogs. It’s a morning of hope, action, and inspiration that you’ll remember long after you’ve crossed the finish line. 

We hear from many of our organizational partners that because children are unable to volunteer at their facilities that families with children love Winter Walk because they are able to join us and fundraise there. And, with special doggie registration, we’ve created events that your entire family can participate in - we offer a 50% discount for the registration fee for anyone younger than 25, and dogs can register and join us for just $10! 

4. To Turn Awareness Into Action
Our walks are not just fun events - they have raised millions of dollars from walkers and sponsors, of which 100% go to carefully vetted, well-run non=profits who directly serve homeless people in New York. Moreover, these walks help restore dignity to a population of people who oftentimes feel shame for the circumstances they find themselves in that were out of their control. Winter Walk fuels advocacy, education, and funding that lasts long after the event is over, helping create lasting solutions to homelessness in New York City and beyond.

3. To Be Part of a Powerful Community Movement

More than 55,000 people have participated in Winter Walk Events and, as we expand nationally, we are just getting started. 

This year, hundreds (and maybe even thousands! ) of people, housed and unhoused, will come together in Central Park for one incredible morning of connection and solidarity. Walking shoulder to shoulder reminds us that we’re stronger together, and that community can drive real change. 

What we have heard consistently from walkers over the last decade is that the Walk Events nourish their souls in a way they had never experienced. If you’re feeling the need to connect with your local community, Winter Walk can help.

2. To Directly Fund Life-Saving Services

100% of all funds raised at the walk, including registration fees and donations, go straight to our Organizational Partners—the frontline non-profits providing shelter, meals, outreach, and long-term support to unhoused people across the city, every single day of the year. Our goal is to raise $50,000 through Winter Walk 2025 NYC. 

Together, we are raising funds for: 

The Bowery Mission: ​​The Bowery Mission meets urgent needs and creates a transformative community, helping people overcome homelessness and poverty through the love of Jesus. 

Capuchin Franciscans of the Province of St. Mary: The Capuchin Franciscans of the Province of St. Mary live the Gospel, inspired by the life and ideals of St. Francis of Assisi. They are dedicated to serving those in need, living a simple life together as a community of brothers, and drawing closer to Jesus Christ through prayer. They work to make sure that the light of Christ in the people they serve is not obscured by ignorance, injustice, or poverty.

HELP USA: For 40 years, HELP USA has worked to ensure that everyone has a safe, stable place to call home. They provide emergency shelter, permanent supportive housing, and wraparound services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness across New York City and beyond.

New Destiny Housing: New Destiny’s mission is to end the cycle of domestic violence and homelessness for low-income families and individuals by developing and connecting them to safe, permanent, affordable housing and services.

The work done by our Organizational Partners is nothing short of extraordinary. They need our support now more than ever before. 

1. To Take a Stand for Housing Justice
Winter Walk is your chance to show up publicly for an issue that affects tens of thousands of New Yorkers. By walking, you help break the stigma surrounding homelessness and send a clear message: every person deserves a safe place to call home.

At Winter Walk, we believe that housing is a human right. We need your presence to show our unhoused neighbors that they are not alone, and to show the world that ending homelessness is within our reach - if we come together. 

Please register or donate to Winter Walk 2025 NYC today (and tell your friends, too)!

Winter Walk is a non-profit on a mission to end homelessness in America. Winter Walk hosts walk events in major cities across the United States designed to raise funds for local service organizations while building community between housed and unhoused people. Every year, Winter Walk unites thousands of donors to fund local non-profits, raise awareness, end stigmas and change lives.