DOSWELL, Va. — Neighbors gathered at Meadow Event Park in Doswell on Saturday for the 2026 Winter Walk, a fundraiser benefiting veterans and first responders experiencing homelessness.
The event, hosted by Virginia-based nonprofit Vets on Track Foundation, raised funds for the organization's Beyond the Streets program, which furnishes homes for veterans and first responders transitioning from homelessness into permanent housing.
Rick Ecker, the founder and CEO of the foundation, said events like the Winter Walk help communities better understand the causes of homelessness.
"We want people to leave here with a better understanding what causes homelessness," Ecker said. "You've heard the old saying you're one paycheck away from being homeless, that's a true statement, and people... don't get it, they don't understand it."
Ecker said that oftentimes a series of life events can send a person "spiraling out of control."
"And once you hit that spiral, it's really hard to come back. That's why foundations like ours, we're able to lift up that hand and help pull them out of that spiral," Ecker said.
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