This past week’s brutal cold has been a stark reminder of the dire and sometimes deadly nature of being unhoused during the coldest months of the year. Nest Community Shelter and Nest La Porte have thankfully been able to open our doors to not only the unhoused population in La Porte County but to our neighbors in need and refuge from the bitter cold. No one should be forced to stay out in the subzero temperatures.
Our Coldest Night of the Year Walking 5K fundraiser is less than a month away- February 22, 2025! We are still actively recruiting walkers, sponsors, and volunteers to participate in this community event. Our event begins at 4:30 p.m., and the walk kicks off at 5 p.m. from the Senior Center in Washington Park. From there, we will wind through a marked path in Washington Park and culminate with a sponsored chili dinner generously provided by Swingbellys.
Here are 5 More Great Things About This Fundraiser:
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This is a family-friendly event. School-aged children are encouraged to make the team!
Are you looking for a fun, family-friendly way to support your community? Look no further than The Coldest Night of the Year! This walk allows walkers to go at their own pace. School teams, sports teams, youth groups, scouts, and more make great teams for this walk. What a great way to build civic engagement and have a great time doing good in the community! Please note that all walkers younger than 12 years of age must be accompanied by an adult at the event.
You can sign up your team or individual youth walkers here
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Teams are wanted- think church, book club, bunco groups, bingo, and more!
While our team sign-up is pretty much a who’s who of La Porte County, there is still time to get your team signed up and fundraising! Are you looking for a team-building opportunity for work? How about signing up and competing against another department from work? Or do you want to do good in the community as a group? This event is family-friendly and raises funds to support Nest so that we don’t have anyone left out in the cold.
You can sign up your team here.
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If you walk, you get a commemorative Nest Coldest Night of The Year insulated Mug—And We’ll fill it during the walk with coffee or cocoa!
We know it’s going to be cold out there, which is sort of the point. But we want to do our best to make it more comfortable for you, so each walker will receive an insulated mug to say thank you for walking. During the walk, you can have your mug filled with hot coffee or hot cocoa free of charge! The best part is you will have the best travel mug in town to take home with you. This is one of the ways we are saying thank you for walking with us on the Coldest Night of the Year.
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You get a Coldest Night of the Year Hat, Too, if you hit your fundraising minimum!
The swag and (humble) brag just keep coming for those who walk and meet their fundraising minimum. Each walker who reaches their minimum will receive a Coldest Night of the Year stocking cap with the Coldest Night of the Year Logo on it. These hats are thick and cozy, perfect for the coldest night of the year walk. Be sure to hit those minimums and get your hat.
You can learn more about the fundraising portion and sign up here.
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The average donation is about $50 for younger walkers and $250 for adults.
While this is a fundraiser, and the goal is to raise as much funding as possible, this event is also about raising awareness of the challenges of rural homelessness and the services Nest offers in our communities in La Porte County. The average walker typically raises about $50 -$250. While this might not seem like a lot, it all makes a big difference when we band together as a community.
If you can’t walk but want to donate to Nest Community Shelter and Nest La Porte, you can do so here.
