It’s often said people may never know what one’s going through until they’ve walked a mile in the other’s shoes.

And that’s what members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul will do this weekend, as they sponsor the second annual Friends of the Poor Walk, a two-mile walk to help raise funds for poor in the area.

Organizer Beth Taylor said the event is open to the public, and the event “works like a walk-a-thon.”

“We’re trying to get teams together, whether it be church youth groups or people you work with,” she said. “They can take pledges or they can walk and make a donation.”

Taylor said all money raised goes to help the needy in the Andalusia area.

“It’s a really great thing that all the money raised stays local,” she said.

Taylor said the organization gave out $33,000 last year to help the needy with utility costs and distributed an estimated 24,000 pounds of food from its food pantry.

Director of the organization Susan Gantt said they help about 85 people each month.

“We open our doors on Monday of each week, and we try and help as many as we can,” she said. “Our local funds are raised primarily through things such as the walk or a poor box in the back of the church.”

Gantt said the office at Christ the King Catholic Church is open most Mondays from 10 a.m. to noon and then 1:45 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Registration for the event will begin Sat., Sept. 25, at 7 a.m., and the walk will begin at 8 a.m. at Christ the King Catholic Church.

A breakfast will be held for all participants beginning at 8:30 a.m.

For more information on the walk or the organization call 222-4858.