Running any distance to a beginner is a big accomplishment. Running longer distances provides a further sense of accomplishment. The RLC Group’s motivational arm, Run Life’s Course, will hold a charity 5K/10K run/walk on Sunday, June 30th with proceeds going to Back On My Feet - a non-profit that focuses on using running for those who have fallen on hard times with temporary homelessness as a means to get members back to normalcy with job training, financial literacy, and housing within 90 days. Run Life’s Course has created Purpose Runs across the United States in cities where Back On My Feet operate because volunteers run with the displaced members 2 – 3 times during the week and on weekends. Through running, members get a sense of community from those outside the shelters and are often taught lessons and provided employment by the volunteers. The RLC Group’s founder, Temeko Richardson, created these Purpose Runs to increase the number of short running events of varied distances of 1M, 5K, 10K which don't require massive training and mandatory fundraising. The runs instead put the focus on participants having fun and increasing their fitness while preventing homelessness because the proceeds go towards a plan for employment, saving, rent assessment and lease reviews to decrease the time that individuals and families remain in shelters.
Richardson believes, "You can’t ignore a rising epidemic albeit disease awareness and prevention is just as important for fundraising. Salaries don’t increase for the low to middle class households at the same pace as gentrification and new construction. There are more people living check-to-check to sustain the lifestyle basics. Every person that is homeless is not living with substance abuse or dire issues. It can be as simple as a loss of employment for a couple of months or choosing to leave an abusive relationship. Running has always been a safe place for me to self-reflect, plan out my day and strategize how to overcome some obstacles. It has always been a way to set distance as a milestone. Running provides the mental toughness to overcome obstacles and feel a sense of accomplishment with each mile. The sense of accomplishment is what people need when they feel as if their life has changed drastically and they need help from others after being on their own for years. The charity runs we put together bring out members of the programs (past and current) who have transitioned in 90 days to a new home and all the volunteers that run with them to keep them motivated. These runs provide funding to help those in temporary situations return to normalcy with transportation to get to new jobs and training for employment which helps return the pride to those who want to stand and get back on their feet.”
Walkers and runners are encouraged to participate because the they will be increasing their own fitness while helping to give Hope to the Homeless. The 10K will begin at 7AM and the 5K will begin at 8:30AM starting at 1500 Washington Blvd and will be an out-and-back through Carroll Park. Discounted Registration is open at http://Baltimore.purposerun.com/ with code BMORERUNS50.
