Online activities live now with special day-of offerings
Vermont Business Magazine The forecast Sunday is for partly sunny skies and warm temps of 68 degrees for the first-ever Virtual COTS Walk. The COVID-19 crisis has prevented Walkers from gathering in person to travel the traditional route, but the pandemic has not stopped the fundraising or COTS’ efforts to end homelessness in community.
COTS prides itself on developing innovative solutions. The 2020 Virtual COTS Walk is no different. This year, COTS offers not one but FIVE Virtual COTS Walks that Walkers can travel on Sunday, May 3:
- Online COTS Walk: A walk people can take, entirely online from their phone or computer, to explore the COTS shelters, housing, and programs with special video messages from friends of COTS. This special online addition will go LIVE on COTS Walk Day – Sunday, May 3, 2020: www.cotsonline.org/cotswalk.
COTS also have four suggested Walks that people can choose – and personally design, following health and safety guidelines. Each Walk has a small booklet (a “zine”) that Walkers can download from the COTS Virtual Walk Web site to read as part of their Walk experience that will help them learn more about COTS’ mission, programs, and results. The four Walks are:
- Traditional COTS Walk: A walk of a your own choosing, reflecting on COTS missions, programs;
- Mindful COTS Walk: A walk that focuses on your senses to raise awareness and see the often-hidden face of homelessness in our community;
- Nature COTS Walk: A walk to explore the harmony of nature and reflect on the lessons we can learn from it, as we work to support humanity locally and globally;
- Night COTS Walk: A walk to make you look up – at the stars – as you consider we consider our personal and communal aspirations.
Throughout the month of April, COTS has offered new daily online Walk Activities, leading up to COTS Way Day. These engaging and educational activities are designed for all ages. These activities are also timeless – meaning people can still pick and choose ones they would like to do, long after the official COTS Walk Day. Find these online at www.cotsonline.org/cotswalk.
And, like this year's 31st annual COTS Walk theme — “One World. Many Journeys Home” — friends and family from around the globe are invited to register, connect, and participate in the Virtual COTS Walk.
COTS is only 64 percent of its way to their $235,000 fundraising goal for the 31st Annual COTS Walk. This is the organization’s largest annual event and a critical fundraiser. More than 50 percent of COTS’ annual operating budget comes from community support and events like the COTS Walk.
During this global health crisis, COTS has adapted all of their programs to adhere to social distancing, health, and safety guidelines. COTS’ two family and single-adult emergency shelters are open, and COTS is providing additional support, such as groceries and packaged meals, to residents of COTS housing, particularly those who are elderly and medically at-risk. COTS also continues homelessness prevention and re-housing services, on-site and via phone.
People can donate or register to participate: www.cotsonline.org.
For Walkers who have traditional COTS Walk envelopes and offline donations (checks or cash), they can bring them to COTS’ main office reception – 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 95 North Avenue, Burlington – now or anytime the week of May 3.
Thanks to our generous sponsors, all money raised by Walkers goes directly to service and to support families and individuals in our community who are facing the crisis of homelessness. Last year, COTS served 2,303 people (including 766 children).
There is no cost to register and no minimum fundraising required for participation. For Walkers who elect to go the extra mile by taking the “COTS Walk Challenge” and pledging to raise $1,000, a generous challenge grant will match these donations. Challenge Walkers will receive a COTS Walk T-shirt, water bottle, and special recognition at the COTS annual meeting. (COTS Walkers can take the Challenge as a Team with a goal of raising $2,500 for the match.)
Founded in 1982, COTS provides year-round emergency shelter, affordable housing, homelessness prevention, and supportive services to families and individuals who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless in Vermont.
Source: COTS Burlington 4.30.2020