Step Up Step Out 5k Run, Walk, Ride, is your chance to step up and be a hero in the lives of local youth and families. The Step Up Step Out fund at Hope for Youth enables us to step in when a program's funding does not allow them to assist with a specific need and no other resources to meet it are available. Funding from Step Up Step Out can be requested by all of our programs including our runaway and homeless youth shelter, foster care, and FOCUS program. Our mission is to create positive change in the lives of youth and their families and with your help, this program can continue to grow to meet more needs of local youth and families. The stories below share some of the ways we have used our step-up step out funds, the names have been changed to protect the client's privacy:

Tina recently entered a shelter with her 6-month-old daughter after being forced to flee her apartment. The shelter only allowed the family to bring one bag, and the family was unable to access the rest of their belongings for several days. Step Up Step Out funds allowed us to purchase necessities for this family to tide them over until they could retrieve more of their belongings.

Lawrence is 5 years old and has been living with his grandfather for several years due to his mother's mental illness. Lawrence is also special needs and has sensory issues. Grandpa allowed Lawrence to sleep in his bed while he slept on the couch, however, it became more and more difficult for Grandpa to sleep on the couch and the family could not afford another bed. Lawrences' case worker helped the family find a donated bed frame, and the step up step out funds purchased a mattress allowing them both to get a good night's sleep.

*We will be having a community information fair in the pavilion after the run, a DJ to help keep the mood up, and a local gym to do warm up activities.

*Bicycles and Jogging strollers are welcome!

A LIMITED NUMBER OF T-SHIRTS ARE AVAILABLE AND WILL BE DISTRIBUTED ON A FIRST REGISTERED FIRST TO RECEIVE BASIS