The Winter Walk is a “Walk-With” movement that unites everyday people to raise critical funds for local nonprofits working to support people experiencing homelessness and move them into stable housing. Through peer to peer fundraising walks, Winter Walk mobilizes thousands of people to take action, generating vital funding for frontline organizations and strengthening our partners’ ability to deliver services to those living on the street. Government funding for homelessness has been obliterated despite the homeless population growing exponentially and non-profits focusing on the crises have been crippled resulting in increased suffering for people without homes. The Winter Walk fundraising event creates a powerful, unmatched force focused on eradicating homelessness by bringing housed and unhoused neighbors together to walk shoulder-to-shoulder, building the human connections that turn awareness and empathy into impactful action. Visit www.winterwalk.org to find a walk near you.
What is the Winter Walk?
How do I register for the Winter Walk 2027?
Step 1: choose the beneficiary of your personal registration donation and all of the donations that come to your Winter Walk fundraiser - either one of our organizational partners, or all of them via the Organizational Partners General Fund.
Step 2: choose your registration donation amount.
WALK WITH US — $25 Includes a Winter Walk hat and breakfast. Fundraise at least $100 to qualify for a swag bag.
WALK WITH US — $100 Includes a Winter Walk hat, breakfast and a swag bag.
WALK WITH MY PET — $125 Includes a Winter Walk hat, breakfast, swag bag and a special pet swag bag. (If you have more than one pet walking with you, you’re able to add a donation for each one to your registration.)
WALK WITH MY CHILD — $125 Includes Winter Walk hats for you and one child, breakfast for you and one child, and swag bags for you and one child. (If you have more than one child walking with you, you’re able to add a donation for each one to your registration.)
STRIDE FOR HOME - $1,000 Includes a Winter Walk hat, breakfast, a premium swag bag and a limited-edition Winter Walk sweatshirt.
Step 3: complete the form with as much information as you’re comfortable sharing with us. Participants of all ages are required to review our liability waiver and accept the terms. Parents/guardians can read and accept on behalf of participants under 18 years of age.
Step 4: start asking for donations to your Winter Walk fundraiser!
How do I create or join a team?
You can join or create a team during registration! Step 2 of Winter Walk 2027 Boston registration gives you the option - choose to “create a team” and give it a name there! If you’re joining, you’ll search for the team name at this step and click “join.”
When is the Winter Walk 2027 Boston?
Our Winter Walk 2027 Boston Event will be on Sunday, February 14, 2027 at City Hall Plaza starting at 10 AM. Our Winter Walk 2027 Boston Event will be on Sunday, February 14, 2027 at City Hall Plaza starting at 10 AM.
How is the money fundraised used by the Winter Walk?
100% of the funds raised at all Winter Walk Events are given directly to our Organizational Partners, the service providers administering aid to the unhoused people that live in the cities we walk in, in the form of unrestricted funding. Winter Walk Inc. funds our administrative costs through corporate sponsorships, independent donors, grants, and in-kind donations, which allows us to continue to offer our Walk Events at no-cost to our Organizational Partners while ensuring that all funds raised by walkers and their donors continue to go to them directly.
Where is the Winter Walk Boston and what is the walk route?
Winter Walk 2027 Boston starts at City Hall Plaza! Stay tuned for the final walk route.
What is the event schedule?
10:00 AM - Registration opens
10:30 AM - Program begins
10:50 AM - Walk begins
11:30 AM - Breakfast served
12:15 PM - Goodbyes/Thank Yous
What do I get with my registration fee?
All registered participants will receive a Winter Walk hat with our logo. You're also invited to join us for a community breakfast after the walk, and hear from our organizational partners about the work they do every day to provide aid to the unhoused people of Greater Boston. If your registration donation and/or total donations reach $100, you’ll also receive a backpack with a pair of socks, generously provided by our Sponsor, Bombas. Stride for Home donors of $1,000 or more will also receive a premium swag bag and a limited edition Winter Walk sweatshirt. Your registration fee is tax deductible.
Categories and inclusions:
WALK WITH US — $25 Includes a Winter Walk hat and breakfast. Fundraise at least $100 to qualify for a swag bag.
WALK WITH US — $100 Includes a Winter Walk hat, breakfast and a swag bag.
WALK WITH MY PET — $125 Includes a Winter Walk hat, breakfast, swag bag and a special pet swag bag. (If you have more than one pet walking with you, you’re able to add a donation for each one to your registration.)
WALK WITH MY CHILD — $125 Includes Winter Walk hats for you and one child, breakfast for you and one child, and swag bags for you and one child. (If you have more than one child walking with you, you’re able to add a donation for each one to your registration.)
STRIDE FOR HOME - $1,000 Includes a Winter Walk hat, breakfast, a premium swag bag and a limited-edition Winter Walk sweatshirt.
What if I cannot participate in the walking portion, due to mobility or other challenges?
Our Walk Event is for everyone! The 2 mile route is on a paved path, and participants walk at their own pace. Our event campus is wheelchair accessible, and our routes stay on sidewalks so that wheelchair and mobility devices are able to more easily be used. For anyone that is unable to participate in the Walk itself, we invite them to stay on the plaza to meet our partners and learn about their work, listen to music being played by our DJ, enjoy coffee or hot chocolate, and spend time talking with others that are joining the mission to end homelessness!Our Walk Event is for everyone! The 2 mile route is on a paved path, and participants walk at their own pace. Our event campus is wheelchair accessible, and our routes stay on sidewalks so that wheelchair and mobility devices are able to more easily be used. For anyone that is unable to participate in the Walk itself, we invite them to stay on the plaza to meet our partners and learn about their work, listen to music being played by our DJ, enjoy coffee or hot chocolate, and spend time talking with others that are joining the mission to end homelessness!
How do I fundraise?
We suggest that all of our walkers set a fundraising goal of at least $500 for their Winter Walk fundraiser. 100% of the funds raised through our Walks are given directly to our Organizational Partners, and every dollar counts!
Start by making the first donation yourself. People are significantly more likely to donate to a fundraiser that already has donations because it creates social proof, signals success, reduces perceived risk, and leverages the "bandwagon effect," making potential donors feel good about joining a popular, effective cause, with data showing even a small initial push drives more giving!
We encourage you to leverage text messages, email and your own social media channels with a link to your fundraising page to solicit donations from your community, to help you meet your fundraising goal. We have published a fundraising guide full of tips and ideas to help you - check your registration confirmation email to get it and get started fundraising!
We are here to help you reach your goals - visit our walk resources page for our newly-updated 2027 Fundraising Toolkit and our Team Captain Guide! https://winterwalk.org/walkresources
We’ll also send you helpful fundraising tips and ideas every week after you register. Make sure you follow us on Instagram - we’ll be sharing helpful fundraising tips and ideas throughout the campaign!
Is there a fundraising minimum?
There is no fundraising minimum for Winter Walk.
For the 2027 Walk Season, we are making an important change to our registration model by removing the option to fundraise the registration fee for Winter Walk. This change allows us to build a stronger fundraising culture around Winter Walk: everyone who registers makes an initial contribution, and everyone who is able is then encouraged to build on that contribution through fundraising, by asking their friends, family, colleagues and community to support their walk.
The most important thing to understand is that your registration fee is the first donation to your Winter Walk fundraiser. Unlike many peer-to-peer events where registration fees help cover event costs, Winter Walk directs registration donations to the nonprofits our walkers fundraise for—so your registration gift is in addition to your fundraising dollars.
Making this change allows us to build a stronger fundraising culture around Winter Walk: everyone who registers makes an initial contribution, and everyone who is able is then encouraged to fundraise by asking their friends, family, colleagues and community to support their walk.
For example, if you register with the $25 Walk With Us option and then raise $500 from your network, you have raised $525 for our nonprofit partners. Your registration donation gets your fundraiser started; your peer-to-peer fundraising takes it further.
While we are now requiring a registration fee, we do not want the cost of registration to prevent people from being part of the Winter Walk community.
Community members with lived experience of homelessness will never be asked to donate or fundraise in order to participate.
Employees of our Organizational Partners will never be asked to donate or fundraise in order to participate.
If you want to join us and the $25 donation is out of reach, please reach out to us at info@winterwalk.org.
What should I wear to the Winter Walk?
Please wear warm clothes and comfortable shoes for walking. The Winter Walk takes place rain, snow, or shine (unless it's a state of emergency, but we're hopeful that won't happen). Participants should be prepared for very cold weather and possible inclement conditions. The time outside will be about 2 hours for the full event.
Will donors receive tax documentation for their donations?
Yes! All donations that your supporters give towards your participation in the walk are fully tax deductible. All your donors will receive tax documentation, via email or letter, for their gifts.
What is Winter Walk's tax ID number?
Winter Walk, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 92-0734185). Your contribution is tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
I don't want to walk - how can I help?
There are many ways to help!
Anyone that cannot join us at the Walk Event on February 14th is encouraged to donate to the Walk’s Organizational Partners General Fund. 100% of those dollars are given directly to our organizational partners.
You can also donate to Winter Walk to help fund our operations.
Sign up to receive our newsletters to stay up to date on all the latest news at winterwalk.org
Follow us on Instagram and like, comment on and share our posts to help us reach more people.
Visit the websites of our Organizational Partners to learn about their work and how you can help.
Will there be sign language interpreting of the live event?
Yes, we will be joined on stage by ASL interpreters to share our presentation from the stage!
Will there be lavatories? Warming stations?
There will be a limited number of portable lavatories onsite, including an accessible lavatory. There will be a limited number of small warming stations. Please wear warm clothes and comfortable shoes for walking. The Winter Walk takes place rain, snow, or shine.
Can I bring a stroller?
Yes, please feel free to bring strollers if it helps with walking with little ones!
Can I bring my dog?
We love dogs! If they are good in crowds and cold, and can walk within our route safely with others, including small children, then we’d love to have them join us! We even offer a special registration add-on for dogs!
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