A Toronto rapper will be taking on an 86-kilometre run down the entire length of Yonge Street to raise both awareness and funds for homelessness on Thursday.
Dillan King, known professionally as DillanPonders, will be hitting the road at 5 a.m. at Green Lane and Yonge Street in East Gwillimbury on July 30 and running a path longer than the length of two consecutive marathons all the way to Toronto’s waterfront. He’ll be raising funds for organizations like the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness, but he’s also focused on raising awareness “followed by action.”
“Not everyone can change public policy, but everyone can make a positive difference. Whether it’s donating food or clothing, volunteering with a local organization, supporting initiatives in their community, or simply treating people experiencing homelessness with dignity and respect, those actions matter,” King said over email. “I want this run to remind people that we’re all one human family, and that meaningful change often begins with individual action.”
It was King’s own struggle with mental illness and addiction that inspired this run. “Years ago, I struggled with addiction, alcoholism, and suicidal thoughts. I became addicted to anything that helped me escape, and eventually I experienced homelessness for a few years,” he said.
He shared that not having a home wasn’t even the most difficult part of the experience. “It was feeling invisible, like people looked through you instead of at you. That feeling has stayed with me,” he said.
King said this run is his way of reminding people that homelessness is a human issue, not just a systemic issue. “Every person experiencing homelessness has a story, and they’re worthy of dignity, compassion, and support.”
He’ll be sharing facts about homelessness in Canada every few kilometres throughout the run across his social media. He’ll then be compiling those updates into a video that documents his entire journey.
King is no stranger to breaking records; he’s been an ultrarunner for years and took on a 100 marathons in 100 days challenge in 2024 to raise awareness about men’s mental health. As an artist, he became the Guinness World Record Holder for the most consecutive digital singles released by a music act in 2025 after dropping a single every week for over three years.
King said he’ll be finishing the run between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Yonge Street and Queens Quay, and he’d love to see some familiar faces there.
