A West Chester nonprofit that shelters homeless families is lacing up for its first-ever road race, and it wants Chester County neighbors to join.
Friends Association will host the inaugural Steps to Home 5K Run & 1-Mile Walk on August 23 at 445 Manor Ave. in Downingtown. The race begins at 8 a.m., and registration is open online.
The timed 5K offers awards for top finishers, while the 1-mile walk welcomes participants of all ages and fitness levels. Kids 12 and under participate free, making it a family-friendly morning. Complimentary refreshments will be available before and after the race.
John Becker, a West Chester-area real estate agent with Springer Realty Group known as "The Running Realtor," is the presenting sponsor.
Why it matters locally
Friends Association, headquartered at 825 Paoli Pike in West Chester, is the only low-barrier emergency family shelter in Chester County that keeps entire families together, according to the organization's website. CEO Joyce Chester leads the nonprofit, which traces its roots to 1822 and shifted its mission entirely to ending family homelessness in 2010.
The organization reports serving 820 individuals with shelter or housing stabilization, preventing 283 families from experiencing homelessness and providing 7,665 nights of secure shelter in its most recently reported year. Ninety percent of families served moved to or remained in safe, stable housing, per the organization's website.
In January, Chester County awarded Friends Association $3.27 million to open a new 10-unit emergency housing facility on Paoli Pike. The grant was the largest single award in the history of the Chester County Department of Community Development, funded entirely by federal and state dollars. That expansion brought the county's family shelter capacity from 16 to 26 units, eliminating the family shelter waitlist, according to the county's announcement.
"We will not turn our eyes away from homelessness," Chester said at the January shelter opening. "We will treat that situation with dignity, respect, and honor."
The 5K is a separate fundraiser, giving residents an active way to support the organization's ongoing work beyond the shelter expansion.
How to participate
Runners, walkers, families, and businesses can register at runsignup.com/Race/PA/Downingtown/FriendsAssociation5K. Those interested in volunteering can email Karina Olmeda at [email protected]. For more information about Friends Association, call (610) 431-3598.
Upcoming
- Sunday, August 23 — Steps to Home 5K Run & 1-Mile Walk, 8 a.m., 445 Manor Ave., Downingtown. Registration at runsignup.com.
