Public invited to 11th annual Walk for Health & Housing, film
TRAVERSE CITY — The community is invited to join NMC students on Wednesday, Nov. 18 for the annual Walk for Health and Housing, a guided tour of downtown Traverse City from the perspective of people experiencing homelessness and the providers who serve them.
Ryan Hannon, leader of Central Outreach, will lead participants on the 90-minute walk departing from Central United Methodist Church, 222 Cass St., at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18. Central Outreach is a hub of services for people without housing in the area. Tour stops will highlight service and volunteering opportunities.
Free parking will be available beginning at 5 p.m. in Municipal Parking Lot B on North Cass Street.
In addition to the walk, students have organized a screening of the documentary, No Place to Grow Old at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17 in Scholars Hall room 109. The documentary explores the challenges and systemic barriers facing unhoused older adults. A facilitated discussion will follow the screening.
Both the walk and the film are part of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, happening Nov. 15–19. Led by NMC faculty Lisa Blackford, Brandon Everest, and Melissa Sprenkle, students in NMC social work, sociology and English classes have collaborated on projects to support the week since 2015.
In addition to NMC and CUMC, the walk is sponsored by the Northwest Michigan Coalition to End Homelessness.
Release date: November 2, 2026
For more information:
Lisa Blackford
Faculty, Social Sciences Area
lblackford@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1294