Run for Hope event to raise funds and awareness for local foster children

THE WOODLANDS, Texas--On April 19th, the fourth annual Run for Hope 10K and 5K race, and 1 mile Fun Run/Walk, will be held right here in The Woodlands. The event will raise funds and awareness for Love Fosters Hope, a non-profit organization that brings hope and healing to children and teens that are in foster care who have been abused, abandoned, and neglected.

Since 1999, Love Fosters Hope has been making foster children in Montgomery County feel special, significant, and loved. The organization holds many different programs for youth in foster care, including the most popular: summer camps. Each summer, four different camps are held for youth, ages 6-19. The camps are specially designed for children in the foster system. Camp activities include swimming, dancing, kayaking, while also learning the importance of self-respect, teamwork, and communication. All of the kid’s birthdays are also celebrated at the camp and there is even a prom for the teenagers.

The Bridge camp is for the older teenagers, where not only do they get to experience those fun activities, but they also learn life skills to prepare for adulthood. The teenagers are taught simple things such as how to change a tire, proper dining etiquette, how to tie a tie, and how to prepare for a job interview. On average, about 2% of children in foster care graduate from high school. Last year, 7 out of 11 teenagers who attended Bridge camp are now in college. Love Fosters Hope is making a huge difference for youth and their future.

“It is a challenging life in foster care,” says Cindy Mericle, the Executive Director of Love Fosters Hope. “We try to let them know that there is a plan for their life. We try to help them think and dream what their goal in life is.”

For many children in the system, the average move to a different foster home is 6 months. They often have to change schools and start over with making friends, which causes them to not attach themselves to people. Love Fosters Hope allows the children to create bonds that won’t just last for the duration of the camp, but a lifetime.

“They look to us as their family,” said Mericle. “It is a privilege.”

Run for Hope is an event held in order to help support Love Fosters Hope and all it does for foster children. April is child abuse awareness month and Run for Hope is the official child abuse awareness event for Montgomery County.

“More kids are adopted in Montgomery County than any other county in Texas per population,” said Mericle.

It is not too late to sign up for the Run for Hope event! Participants can run in the 10K, 5k, or the 1-mile Fun Run/Walk. The course will take place around the scenic Market Street, and every half mile, there will be signs informing runners about statistics regarding foster children. Also, former teenagers in the foster care system who have been to the camps at Love Fosters Hope will be there to pass out medals to the finishers. Runners can also start a fundraising page to help raise money for Love Fosters Hope, and prizes will be presented to the top fundraisers. The event will be on April 19th from 7:00-11:00 am. Each participant will receive a t-shirt, award for completing event, and a delicious breakfast.

This will be Carol Jones’ third time participating in Run for Hope. Jones is a resident of The Woodlands and understands the importance of providing love and hope for foster children. In 2010, she and her husband became foster parents for 19-month old twin girls. In 2012, the Jones family officially adopted the toddlers.

“Now, in our early to mid-fifties, we find ourselves parents of two grown sons, and parents to five and a half year old twin girls,” said Jones. “What a journey!”

Jones, along with many other participants of Run for Hope, will be fundraising for Love Fosters Hope up until the day of the race. To donate, register, or become a sponsor for the event, visit the website.

“There are so many ways that people can help those in the foster care system, whether it be the children in need of care, or the families who provide that care,” said Jones. " Love Fosters Hope is such a simple, and cost effective way to give children a rare and precious gift: the gift of family, the gift of belonging, the gift of hope.”

Love Fosters Hope gives kids in foster care relationships that can last a lifetime. It is something as simple as hosting a camp for these children, giving them a prom, celebrating their birthdays, and just letting them know that somebody cares. Cindy Mericle and Carol Jones are just two of the many people supporting this organization, and you can help too.

To learn more about Love Fosters Hope visit the the related link below or contact Cindy Mericle.