Andre Willis knows how it feels to be hungry with no place to go.

For four years, Willis lived in a cardboard box, but today he is the pastor of a church in Snellville, Ga., and leading a crusade to bring awareness to America’s homeless.

“I have a heart for homeless issues,” Willis said.

Last week Willis, 56, wheeled his way into Calhoun on a nationwide bike ride that will take him all the way to see Oprah Winfrey in Chicago.

“We, as a nation, are not paying close enough attention to the homeless,” Willis said. “We are taking care of third worlds nations, but not the homeless in our own backyard.”

Willis said that while living as a “private” homeless person in North Carolina, he saw many people like him — ashamed of their own situations and trying to hide the fact that they were homeless.

“They are teachers, doctors, lawyers and more with degrees and all like me during my younger years, a victim of my own circumstances and behavior. It was quite an embarrassing position to be in to say the least and one that I hailed as private because I didn’t even allow my family to know my condition,” Willis said.

Willis has since turned his life around, becoming a minister and starting the “City of Life” foundation that works to help the homeless improve their situations through education.

In 2006 Willis rode his 10-speed from Georgia to Chicago and then to the White House cov-ering a 3450 mile run in just a little more than four months.

“We average 60 miles a day,” Willis said.

He is accompanied by, Phillip Bland, a driver who travels ahead of him in a passenger van.

“We are journeying on a cause that effects us all; homelessness, illiteracy and physical challenge awareness. Homelessness in itself has taken on a whole new face. No longer is it just those who are mentally or psychologically challenged, and The City of Life will be doing something about it,” Willis said.

Willis, who trained for four months prior to leaving Snellville, said he was especially grateful to the Hampton Inn, who has donated rooms for him to stay in while he travels.

“We have been fortunate in that people have given us their time and their space,” he said.

It is Willis’s hope that the blessings continue.

“We are asking that people donate to our mission,” he said.

Donations can be made by visiting www.thecityoflifefoundationproject.org.

Willis expects it will take him several weeks to make it to Chicago, where Oprah’s pro-ducers are awaiting his arrival.

“I know I am gonna make it,” he said.

To track Willis’s progress visit www.thecityoflifefoundationproject.org..