JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Four friends from different upbringings and age groups have embarked on a march from Jacksonville to Washington, D.C., advocating for expanded social welfare programs and raising awareness about homelessness.
The group plans to protest at the National Mall upon reaching the nation’s capital, with their journey expected to conclude by the end of the month.
“I’ve been homeless for about two months. And during my time of being homeless, I noticed, ‘Wow, there’s actually a lot of people out here who are in the same situation as me,’” said Gabriel Rzucidlo, who initiated the march. “You have all these homeless shelters that can’t fit people. There’s nowhere for them to go.”
Rzucidlo, a veteran, described the challenges of experiencing homelessness after serving his country.
“It sucks. It sucks, and there’s many people out there, just like me,” he said.
Goals of the march
The group’s mission focuses on several key objectives:
- Extending social welfare programs for unemployed individuals and people experiencing homelessness
- Establishing a living wage through federal minimum wage increases
- Raising awareness about homelessness challenges
- Spreading a message of peace and love
“It’s not easy to get a job when you’re homeless. You don’t have a P.O. box. You don’t have anything like that to get the things you need to get set up for job applications,” explained Aidan Fannin, one of the marchers.
Faith and social justice
The march combines elements of faith and social advocacy.
“We’ll be talking with people, telling them our stories, telling them about Jesus Christ,” said Ethan Fethanneff, another participant.
Joel Blankinship emphasized the march’s broader message: “The world fell a long time ago into hatred, and it’s finally about to rise back up into love, but it takes everybody to be involved in it.”
While some might question the impact of their journey, the group remains committed to their cause.
“Even if it does nothing, we’re still doing something for us because we’re spreading the love of Jesus Christ and spreading our ideas,” Fethanneff said.
The marchers haven’t set a strict deadline for reaching Washington, D.C., focusing instead on inspiring others to take action for causes they believe in.