Flag Day 5K Run and Fun Walk Helps Rescue NJ Veterans from Homelessness
Also Benefits new Veterans Village and Veterans Mental Health Services
Parsippany, NJ – The 17th Annual Flag Day 5K Run and Fun Walk will be held on Thursday evening, June 14th at the Lyons VA Campus of the NJ VA Healthcare System at Valley and Knollcroft Roads in the Lyons section of Bernards Township. Proceeds benefit Community Hope’s Hope for Veterans® Programs that will rescue more than 1,500 homeless and wounded veterans and their families struggling with homelessness this year. The Race will kick off at 7:00 P.M. at the nonprofit organization’s Valley Brook Village, built on the Lyons campus in 2013 to house disabled and homeless veterans.
Community Hope is the leading charity in New Jersey serving homeless veterans and at-risk veteran families. The nonprofit organization has helped more than 5,000 veterans overcome poverty, despair, mental illness and addiction since opening their first veterans program in 2004. Through Community Hope’s umbrella of Hope for Veterans Programs, the nonprofit provides veterans with transitional housing; permanent supportive housing; rapid re-housing and homelessness prevention.
Benefits Development of Veterans Village Phase II and Expanded Mental Health Services for Veterans
This year’s event also benefits development of phase II of Valley Brook Village. Construction of 50 additional units of veterans housing is due to start in June. The Village presently contains 62 units of supported housing for veterans with on-site support and employment services. In addition, the Run will support Community Hope’s campaign expanding mental health services for the 95 veterans residing at our 95-bed transitional housing program. This includes mental health counseling and therapy for veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress and combat trauma. Both programs are located on the Lyons VA campus.
Tribute Donations Offer Opportunity For Anyone To Support Veterans
“You don’t have to be a runner to make a difference,” says Community Hope CEO J. Michael Armstrong of Bernardsville. “We understand that so many people in our community want to help our veterans. We also recognize that they wish to continue honoring those in their family who have proudly served our country and so these Tribute Donations continue to grow and be an important part of the Flag Day fundraising event.” Mr. Armstrong, who is a runner and will be participating in the 5K event, said that $10,000 of the more than $130,000 raised last year were from tribute donations .
Individuals can make a Tribute Donation online at www.hopeforveterans.org/5k in honor or memory of A Special Veteran in Your Life to help house and support homeless and wounded veterans. These honorary and memorial tributes will be acknowledged on the agency’s website.
Online or Day-Of-Event Registration
Online registration is open at www.hopeforveterans.org/5k for runner and walker registration, forming teams or peer-to-peer fundraising in support of our veterans. Online registration closes at noon on June 13th and day-of-registration opens at 5:00 p.m. on June 14th. The pre-registration cost to run is $25 or $23 for USTF members, day-of race registration is $30. Registration for walkers is $15. Pre-registered participants will receive a runners shirt. Trophies will be awarded to the top teams and medals will be given to the top three male and female finishers in various age groups.
The course is USATF sanctioned and a Course Marshal will be overseeing the race course and course volunteers. Runners secure 500 points for participating.
Title Sponsors of the event are Accenture and MetLife as Patriot Sponsors. Celgene Corporation serving as Five Star General Sponsor. The Courier News, Daily Record, Home News, ADP, BD, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, and Pfizer Inc. are serving as Brigadier Sponsors. Serving as General Sponsors are Novo Nordisk and Teva Pharmaceuticals. Colonel Sponsors are Affordable Housing & Services Collaborative, Bayer, Hollister Construction, Lakeland Bank, Matthijssen, Peabody Properties, TD Bank, The Architectural Team, Shoprite and Windover Construction.
