In spite of the cold, rainy, windy weather, nearly 100 Rhode Islanders from a wide variety of religious backgrounds recently walked a mile together in Colt State Park, and did a lot of good for Rhode Island’s homeless and hungry.

The event was led by Father John Kiley, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi of Warwick, Imam Farid Ansari of the Muslim American Dawah Center of R.I., Pastor Liliana DaValle, executive minister of the American Baptist Churches Association of R.I., Father David Lucey, rector of St. Michael’s Church of Bristol and Rabbi Andrew Klein of Temple Habonim in Barrington. At a brief prayer service before the walk, various clergy spoke of the importance of helping those in need. One participant, Ed Sevigny of Bristol, remarked that the different clergy all sounded very similar. Chris Fay, a founding director of Faith Walk for Charity, said Sevigny’s observation underscored much of the reason for Faith Walk for Charity, which exists to draw together people of all religious backgrounds to focus on their commonly held value of helping those in need.

The beneficiary of this year’s walk was Amos House. Eileen Hayes, president and CEO of Amos House said, “We are very excited to have been chosen by Faith Walk for Charity this year. The money raised by this event will fund our much needed programs.”

Although several significant donations are still believed to be forthcoming, thanks to a $10,000 matching gift from Rhode Island philanthropist Alan Shawn Feinstein, the event is sure to have raised a minimum of $20,000 for Amos House.

Proceeds from the walk will be used to support all of Amos House’s growing programs such as their soup kitchen, which provides free breakfast and lunch meals six days a week, their transitional and permanent supportive housing, which provides lodging for 110 homeless men and women each night, and their job training programs.