May 14, 2018

Contact: Kim Walker, 704-940-3149

CHARLOTTE, N.C.– Charlotte-area Realtors®, along with running enthusiasts and people concerned about ending homelessness, are lacing up their shoes to run or walk in the third-annual Strides for Shelter 5K Run/Walk.  The event, which is an initiative of the Housing Opportunity Foundation, the charitable-arm of the Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association, is the only 5K Run/Walk in North Carolina dedicated to ending homelessness.

 Strides for Shelter 5K Run/Walk will kick off Saturday, June 23, 2018, 8:30 a.m. at McAlpine Creek Parkand will feature an array of activities and entertainment for the whole family.

All proceeds raised will benefit the Men’s Shelter of Charlotte, which operates Mecklenburg County’s only year-round emergency shelters for men experiencing homelessness. Funds will be used for their upcoming renovation of the 1210 North Tryon Street campus, which has not had any major improvements since its warehouse conversion in 1985. The North Tryon Street campus provides 216 emergency shelter beds and more than 50 additional spaces during extreme weather.  The renovation for critical repairs includes improved functionality and dignity (more privacy in dorms/showers, more openness in community areas) and much improved aesthetics that exude more hope and inspiration for their clients.

“This event is an opportunity to raise funds and awareness for our community’s homeless neighbors. Through the work of the Housing Opportunity Foundation, we know that safe housing is the cornerstone of sustainable communities.  We must be vigilant in helping to ensure all our neighbors have access to housing at the most basic level,” said Jason Gentry, 2018 Association/CarolinaMLS President.

In addition to shelter and basic needs, the Men’s Shelter of Charlotte also provides programs focused on helping men increase their income and helping them move to more appropriate housing, as well as assistance with substance abuse and mental health. Through partnerships with volunteer groups like F3 Nation – Charlotte Metro (Fitness, Fellowship and Faith), the shelter is able to provide support dedicated to wellness, exercise and fellowship. F3 volunteers, along with clients of the Men’s Shelter, will train and run alongside Realtor® runners in this year’s 5K. 

Men’s Shelter of Charlotte Executive Director Liz Clasen-Kelly said, “We are so appreciative of the Housing Opportunity Foundation and the commitment of the Realtors® to ending homelessness and selecting our organization as the beneficiary of their race. We share a collective vision to help the most vulnerable in our community and to continue to look for ways we can serve as a catalyst within our community to not only provide temporary housing, but also a pathway to permanent housing for our clients in need.”

Since its inception, the Strides for Shelter 5K Run/Walk has raised more than $20,100, which has benefited a supportive housing community developed by the Urban Ministry Center and A Child’s Place, which works to erase the impact of homelessness on school-aged children in Mecklenburg County. 

About the Housing Opportunity Foundation
The Housing Opportunity Foundation is the charitable arm of the Charlotte Regional Realtor^®Association.  The foundation is dedicated to creating a community where all housing needs are met, and works toward this goal through funding, education, advocacy and leadership programs that are focused on fair and affordable housing and workforce-housing initiatives.

For more information about the Housing Opportunity Foundation, visit www.CarolinaHome.com and click “Housing Opportunity Foundation”. For an interview with 2018 Association/CarolinaMLS President Jason Gentry, please contact Kim Walker. 

The Charlotte Regional Realtor^® Association is a trade association that provides its more than 10,100 Realtor^® members with the resources and services they need to conduct ethical, professional, successful and profitable businesses. The association is dedicated to being the region's primary resource for residential real estate information. The association operates the Carolina Multiple Listing Services, Inc. (CarolinaMLS), which has more than 15,300 Subscribers and is the private cooperative Realtors^® use for access to tens of thousands of residential listings in a multicounty service area, including Charlotte, the Piedmont and Mountains areas of North Carolina and South Carolina, and beyond.

Original Publish Date: 5/14/2018