Why I'm Participating in the Virtual #BigHouse5K: Brooke Dahlia Hill
4/16/2020 8:10:00 AM | Features, Community Engagement
The 2020 Big House 5K presented by Toyota will benefit six local, non-profit organizations selected based on the support they provide to our Washtenaw County community in key areas like housing, healthcare, the arts, youth programming and social services. In the weeks leading up to the race, MGoBlue.com will share stories from people inspired to participate this year because of one of the beneficiaries.
Please note: The University of Michigan Athletics Department and U-M health professionals are closely monitoring the spread of COVID-19 and the resulting impact on our communities. In alignment with the University's protocols, we have canceled the 2020 Big House 5K. However, the 2020 race has moved to a virtual format. In the interest of "social distancing," we are encouraging our registrants to support our beneficiaries and participate in our Virtual #BigHouse5K.
By Brooke Dahlia Hill
I run for the homeless and hungry families of Washtenaw County, and expanding across Michigan, our country and rest of the world. I run for those struggling to make ends meet even when they are trying their best to survive with what they have.
I run for the new mommy, in the hospital, who just gave birth to a healthy baby and has nowhere to go when she leaves. I run for the father who just lost his wife to cancer, has three kids to support all on his own and just lost their home to foreclosure. I run for the couple with seven kids, ages 3-to-13, working two jobs, still struggling to put food on the table after they pay for daycare tuition, medical bills and rent. I run for the teen parent who is alone on the streets, abandoned by family, left to raise a child while also figuring out their own life. I run for the parent going back to college to get a better job, taking care of two teenagers out of a hotel because there is no affordable housing. I run for the child who wishes he had chicken and asparagus for dinner but only has canned beans that expired 30 days ago.
I run for the newborn baby who is cold at night sleeping in mothers' arms, in a car, in the downtown library parking lot. I run for the transgender teen whose parents threw him out because they refused to call him 'he', and who is now sleeping in the hospital ER waiting room before leaving at 5 a.m. to get dressed at the gas station prior to school. I run for the dad of two boys who is ready to end his life because he feels ashamed to be living in the city shelter with them. No apartment complex will accept his housing application because of his prison time and felony charges from 10 years ago, even though he now holds a bachelor's degree in business and works a solid 9-to-5 job daily. I run for the grandmother who has custody of four grandkids because their mom went to jail for repeated drug charges. I run because these are real circumstances of life for some, and we must help.
I run because 23 years ago, I was once homeless, with a child, working 40 hours a week as a senior in high school, giving my all to be the best mom I could be while struggling to make ends meet. I was that teen with a kid, walking the streets and on buses trying to get to daycare, then school and work, as everyone passed us by like we were nobodies. I run because community services like SOS helped me at my lowest times in life as a young person.
I run because now that I am thriving with three degrees, three more children, an amazing career and a life in the best community of Michigan. It is my reciprocal God-willing duty to give my time, treasures and testimony of the climb, of the resilience and of the run many of us take to grow. I run because SOS Community Services provides this exact service, helping families off the streets, feeding the hungry and establishing a positive, thriving environment for children. I run because SOS runs daily to help those in need, 365 days a year, and we owe it to our humanity and to our community to be there for one another. For 50 years, SOS has promoted housing stability and family self-sufficiency through collaboration, care and respect. Please run with me, run with SOS, run with the mom, dad or child who needs that extra lift, so they can run, too. Run with us!
About SOS Community Services
SOS promotes housing stability and family self-sufficiency through collaboration, care and respect. SOS Community Services was founded in 1970 and is a community-based nonprofit. We are dedicated to preventing and ending family homelessness in Washtenaw County through partnerships with caring individuals, local businesses and organizations, social service agencies and professionals.
We provide integrated services to homeless families, children and youth. And we directly serve 3,600 people annually, including families, individuals, and children, with comprehensive services that move them from homelessness to self-sufficiency and permanent, stable housing.
SOS's programs and services include:
• SOS Resource Center: This center houses our choice food pantry and walk-in services. Walk-in services include utility assistance, bus tokens, personal care items, access to computers and phones, and referrals to other local services. The Resource Center serves nearly 1,000 households per year.
• Family Services: SOS offers Rapid Rehousing to homeless families as well as three units of emergency shelters suited for larger families. Families in SOS housing receive case management using a progressive engagement model. Intensive and focused services and referrals are provided depending on each family's needs. SOS serves over 90 families per year through our housing services.
• Parents as Teachers: SOS provides home visitations for at-risk families who have children age 5 or younger. Parents learn how to foster healthy growth and development for their children. PAT—a nationally recognized, research-based model program—includes parent-child play groups, individual in-home meetings with parents, developmental screenings for children, connections with community resources, and evaluations. The PAT program is currently serving 30 families.
For more information, visit soscs.org
