Syracuse, NY — Runners and walkers braved the winter elements in support of ending homelessness at the Rescue Mission’s annual Freeze Out 5K on Friday, January 19, at Onondaga Community College. Proceeds from this glow-in-the-dark 5K support the Rescue Mission’s work to provide emergency shelter and support programs for those experiencing homelessness.
The Rescue Mission’s emergency shelter has seen record need this winter, with all 183 beds for women and men filled nearly every night. Many nights the organization has accommodated additional guests in an overflow area in its day center lobby.
The run/walk began at 7 pm, and was timed and USATF-certified. Participants received a glow accessory, t-shirt and finisher’s medal.
The Freeze Out 5K held an after-party in the SRC Arena with food and drink samplings and music by the Mere Mortals. There was a basket raffle and pop-up Thrifty Shopper.
Event sponsors were Anytime Fitness, Bull & Bear Roadhouse, Costco, CNY Racing, Kinney Drugs, Leone Timing, L.L. Bean, The Marrone Law Firm, Microsoft, Monster Energy, News Channel 9, 93Q, Onondaga Flames, Onondaga Community College, Outback Steakhouse, Reebok Ragnar Adirondacks, Sam’s Club, Starbucks and Walmart.
The nonprofit Rescue Mission Alliance of Syracuse operates programs to end homelessness and hunger in Syracuse, Auburn, Binghamton and Ithaca. In Syracuse, programs include a 183-bed emergency shelter for men and women, a day center, permanent affordable housing, and case management to help individuals experiencing homelessness connect with employment, education, health care, or other services they need to leave homelessness behind.
The Rescue Mission’s Syracuse Food Service Center provides three meals every day of the year, and served 282,843 meals in the organization’s 2016 fiscal year. In Syracuse, Auburn, Binghamton and Ithaca, the Rescue Mission provided a total of 178,331 overnight stays in emergency shelter and permanent supportive housing for men, women and children experiencing homelessness.
