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Known as the "rooftop pastor," Reverend Corey Brooks is preparing for a walk across the nation in hopes of raising awareness, along with 15 million dollars, to end urban violence in Chicago.
According to NBC 5 Chicago, Brooks will start his four month walk from New York's Times Square on Tuesday, June 5th. From there Brooks will stop at major cities across the nation hitting New Jersey, Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles.
Pastor Brooks' last fundraising effort involved living for three months in a tent on the roof of a hotel previously used for drug trade and prostitution. The 450,000 dollars he raised, including 100,000 from producer Tyler Perry, allowed him to buy and demolish the hotel in hopes of building a community center in its place.
Brooks aims to use the walk to solicit donations to build the community center in one of the most violent neighborhoods of Chicago, calling it Project Helping Others Obtain Destiny (H.O.O.D.)
Likening his campaign to end urban violence to the battle of David and Goliath, Brooks preached to members of his church, New Beginnings Church, "David has never had a fight like this before. It is the biggest fight of his life. This is the biggest challenge in the history of the church."
Brooks will be accompanied by his two sons: Cobe who is 11, and Desmond Marshall who is 22. Excited and nervous about this trek, Marshall told the Chicago Tribune, "It will bring attention to this major epidemic," which he understands to be very important.
Though they will miss their pastor, members of the church told Chicago Tribune that they will be united in support of his cause.
"(The trek is) not going to be easy," said Juanita Burton, 49, of South Chicago. But "someone needs to take a stand."