COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Dec. 20, 2018) – After months of training, Food For The Poor donor Daniel Valdez, of Lovington, N.M., will begin his fourth 500-mile walk on Friday. He will start at the Lea County Courthouse in Lovington at 7:30 a.m.

“I am feeling happy and excited to get people motivated to give back to help others,” Valdez said. “Nineteen cities, two countries and one goal, this is our mission of love. I am ready to get started.” 

The idea of helping the poor in this way was more than a decade in the making for Valdez, who has been running in regional races for nearly 15 years. It was during one of these runs from Hobbs, N.M., to his hometown of Lovington, with longtime friend the Rev. Manuel Ibarra, when he felt the call to action and completed his first 500-mile walk in 2012.

“Food For The Poor is touched by Daniel’s determination of doing what he loves to help the destitute to have a better life; it’s truly commendable,” said Food For The Poor Executive Director Angel Aloma. “We will pray for his safety and the safety of those joining him on this special journey.”

Valdez, 56, will walk through a number of U.S. cities before crossing the border into Mexico as he tries to raise money to build a home for a destitute family in Nicaragua. The walk is expected to take 16 days and will end in the town of Delicias on the first weekend of the New Year

His route covers points in New Mexico and passes through the key communities of 1. Lovington, N.M. 2. Hobbs, N.M. 3. Eunice, N.M. 4. Jal, N.M. 5. Kermit, Texas 6. Wink, Texas 7. Pyote, Texas 8. Coyanosa, Texas 9. Alpine, Texas 10. Marfa, Texas 11. Shafter, Texas, 12. Presidio, Texas 13. Ojinaga, CH, Mexico 14. Aldama, CH, Mexico 15. Chihuahua, CH, Mexico 16. Delicias, CH, Mexico.

Click here for a video animation of Valdez’s 500-mile journey.

To help Valdez reach his goal, visit here and make a secure online donation.

Food For The Poor, one of the largest international relief and development organizations in the nation, does much more than feed millions of the hungry poor primarily in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian ministry provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicine, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance. For more information, please visit here.