Some call Armand Young the modern day Forest Gump, but instead of running across the country, he’s walking.

Armand’s goal is to raise awareness about issues the U.S. and the world are facing. He took his first steps toward this goal back in April when he left California.

It's destination Ground Zero in New York City or bust, and Armand, carrying an 80-pound backpack and armed with a bamboo pole full of signatures, says his impact on people has been great.

“When people sign my pole, I ask them that the next day they do something nice for somebody. I’ve got around 38,300 signatures on here.

“By the time I get to New York, I want to see over a million human acts of kindness behind my walk”

Along the way he collects badges from local fire and police departments to sew onto a flag. He will place the flag, along with his bamboo pole, at Ground Zero once he arrives.

For the past month or so he’s been traveling through Nebraska on Highway 30, stopping at towns along the way.

On Sunday he crossed the river into Iowa.

After taking a few days to rest up, he plans on leaving the metro at noon on Wednesday from Bayliss Park in downtown Council Bluffs.

Armand has had many people support him simply by walking alongside of him. He encourages people to join in and walk with him Wednesday when he leaves town.

To read more about Armand’s cross country trek, go to his Web site.