May is the month we have set aside to celebrate the women who have given us life, raised us, nurtured us and/or mentored us. While spending time with your mom this year, or in her honor, why not help your community by supporting a local organization? The Family Support Center of South Sound is a Thurston County nonprofit that provides parents, children and survivors of domesticate violence with coordinated services in one centralized location. You can help by attending their family-friendly 8th annual Family Support Center Mother’s Day 5k run and Free 1 Mile Kid’s Run on Sunday, May 8, 2022. Run with friends and family at the Hands On Children’s Museum as a group, run by yourself, or participate virtually, it all helps their amazing cause.
Their mission is “Working together to strengthen all families.” Family Support Center’s critical programs include the Family Shelter program which houses Pear Blossom Place the region’s largest family shelter open 24 hours, 7 days a week; a Family Justice Center that helps with safety planning, crisis support, basic needs, shelter and housing, police reports, civil protection and more; a Family Resource Services program that provides help for households including basic need items, rental/utility assistance, healthcare enrollment support and more; a Homeless Family Services program that helps those currently unhoused with a multitude of items including temporary housing, case management, housing search and placement, computer/phone access, transportation, employment and more; and a Parent and Child Education program that provides parenting support through workshops, groups and other events.
None of these essential services could be provided without community support. “Funding from this event supports families who are trying to get into safe and stable housing as well as survivors of domestic violence,” shares Maija Glasier-Lawson, development director of Family Support Center. “One of the great things about Family Support Center of South Sound is how well all of our programs work together to meet the needs of some of the most vulnerable members of our community. When you support our organization by attending fun events like the Mother’s Day 5K and Free 1 Mile Kids Run, you really are directly supporting families and survivors in the South Sound. It is a win-win!”
The Mother’s Day 5k is happing on May 8, 2022 with both in-person and virtual options! For those wanting to run in-person, registration starts at 7:30 a.m. at the Hands On Children’s Museum. The run will start at 8:30 a.m. and will have a gun start and be chip timed! Register online before April 29 for $30/person (runners age 13+) or register on person on the day of the event for $40. Cost of the run includes a fun beanie and a race medal. Kids 12 and under can participate in the one-mile fun run for free. Family Support Center will follow local COVID-19 safety guidelines for this event.
If you’d like to run virtually, you can sign up and then run when and where it works best for you! “Folks who are participating virtually can pick up their race packet, including swag, at the Family Support Center Campus May 2-6 or can have it mailed to them for a small fee,” explains Maija.
Awards will be given out based on age ranges: 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+, and will include fancy ribbons, for first through third place finishers. “We have a goal of raising $10,000 for this event and throughout the month of May,” says Maija. “Because of our wonderful community, we typically raise $7,000-$10,000 from this event and it always comes at the perfect time, the end of our fiscal year when other funding sources are starting to run low.”
Not a runner or walker but still want to help? Send the special mom in your life a Cards for a Cause card that includes a gift to the Family Support Center or just make a donation. Sponsorship opportunities are still available for the Mother’s Day 5k as well. Have more time than money? You can volunteer! “We would love to have volunteers help us make this event a success and help us cheer on our runners,” shares Maija. You can reach her directly at maijag@fscss.org or 360-754-9297 x 214 for more information on volunteering or sponsoring.
Celebrating Mom Photo Contest
You can also celebrate mom with the Family Support Center’s photo contest, “Celebrating Moms all Month Long!” The contest will run the first three weeks of May, with voting the last week. Winners will be announced Monday, May 30. Head to the Family Support Center’s Facebook page for more information.
While it may take a village to raise a child—that’s where Family Support Center of South Sound comes in—we all need Moms. Take time to thank yours while helping other Moms and families with the Family Support Center’s Mother’s Day 5K and Free 1 Mile Kid’s Run.
Sponsored
