City of Refuge, an Atlanta-based non-profit organization that helps the homeless and families in need, will host its fifth annual Refuge Run on March 24 from 8 to 11 a.m.
The Refuge Run, presented by Elavon, takes runners through the streets where the organization has called home for nearly 15 years.
“In hosting this race, we hope to humanize the poverty that affects so many of our surrounding neighbors and break down the barriers that have been created over time,” said founder and CEO of City of Refuge Bruce Deel. “When you participate in the Refuge Run, you are helping thousands of people take steps they never imagined possible. We are excited to offer the community an opportunity to really lean in and be present to what’s going on in the neighborhoods we serve.”
The Refuge Run includes both a 5K and 10K that will kick off at the City of Refuge campus on Joseph E. Boone Blvd NW.
Participants can now register for the race, $35 for the 5K and $45 for the 10K, through March 20, with onsite registration increasing $10 on the day of the race.
The funds raised will provide general operating support for the organization throughout the year, plus, the race is a Peachtree Road Race Qualifier.
On race day, registration will open to the public at 7 a.m. Runners participating in the 10K will have an 8 a.m. start and follow a path leading through downtown Atlanta where racers will pass by iconic landmarks, including the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, CNN Center, and the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The 5K participants will start at 8:30 a.m. and follow a path through the neighborhoods of Atlanta’s historic westside along Joseph E. Boone Blvd NW, Joseph E. Lowery Blvd NW, MLK Jr. Dr. SW and back up Burbank Dr. NW.
Many of the volunteers that help make the race possible are currently enrolled in vocational programs within City of Refuge.
City of Refuge was founded to assist homeless women and children in transition by providing a safe haven. The organization offers housing, support, and resources to victims of sex trafficking in House of Cherith, and mothers with children and single women in Eden Village.
Forty percent of all families in the vicinity of City of Refuge live at or below the federal poverty level for their household makeup, and many more would be considered low-income.
