Write Wild: January 2019

5K Races that Support Your Favorite Causes

There are nearly 50,000 races in the United States. That's a mix of road races, trail runs, relays, stair climbs, and track meets of varying distances. When you narrow that to 5k road runs, it brings the number closer to 30,000 according to my calculations from Running in the USA's database.

Some races are big, some are small. Some are for profit, some are nonprofit. Of all the nonprofit charity runs out there, you can find hundreds of causes to run and raise funds for. There are dozens of races with a health bent for a charity: cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, breast cancer, colon cancer, Parkinson's, diabetes, autism, AIDS, dyslexia, and so many more. There are races for girls, clean water, adoption, the military, poverty, and a bunch I've never even heard of.

But the one type of charity race I'd like to focus on is literacy. I have compiled 10 popular road races that support literacy. #runtoread #writerswhorun If you know of more, just leave a comment and I'll update the list!

There are two races in Georgia, two in New York, and two in Wisconsin. There is also one literacy race in these four states: California, Florida, Illinois, and Virginia. All ten races for literacy offer a 5k distance. Two also offer a 10k distance. One is a half marathon. Three of these races offer a one-mile fun run. And one offers a bike ride component.

10 Best Races of 2019 that Support Literacy

Writers Who Run 5K & 10K Race For Literacy

The Writers Who Run 10k & 5k Race For Literacy is a one-of-a-kind run that appeals to writers who run and runners who write. Walkers are also welcome! We write and run for a cause. We have a passion for reading, writing, and contributing to worldwide literacy. We are trying to build this event as a community book drive in addition to a charity run through collections of new and gently used children’s books as well as monetary donations. "With famous, inspirational quotes throughout the course, it's better than having your own personal cheering section in a marathon." #writerswhorun #runtoread

Location: Dillard, GA
Date: Saturday, June 22, 2019
Distance: 5k, 10k
Charity: Ferst Readers and Rabun County Schools
Contact: Christie Wild; authorcwild @ gmail.com
Website: Writers Who Run

Cougar Literacy Run

The Cougar Literacy Run is a community 5K and one mile kids' run (for Manassas Park students) to promote literacy and wellness for our students. This is the largest campus fundraiser-in the last 4 years combined we've raised over $60,000! The proceeds go to purchasing technology to support literacy for our K-5 campus.

Location: Manassas Park, VA
Date: Saturday, May 4th, 2019
Distance: 5k, 1-mile fun run
Charity: Manassas Park Elementary School and Cougar Elementary School
Contact: Race Director: Cheyenne Hartman; Email: literacyrun@mpark.net
Website: Elementary School Racing Page

G.L.O.W. 5K Run

The Jeanine Nicarico Memorial Fund for Literacy, under the Naperville Education Foundation, supports grants to individual educators, or entire schools, in an effort to promote a deeper understanding and teaching of literacy, to enrich instructional programs, to provide opportunities to link literacy between the home and the school, and to lay foundations that will develop lifelong readers.

Location: Naperville, IL
Date: Saturday, May 18, 2019
Distance: 5k
Charity: Jeanine Nicarico Memorial Literacy Fund
Contact: Event Director: Tracey Nelson; Email: info@nicaricoliteracyfund.org
Website: Nicarico Literacy Fund

The Brooke Jackman Race for Literacy

The Brooke Jackman Foundation is a non-profit organization created in response to the World Trade Center attack on September 11, 2001, that claimed the life of Brooke Jackman, age 23. The Foundation's mission is to honor Brooke's legacy - a deep love of reading and a profound interest in helping children - by helping to create and support programs enhancing the literacy and self esteem of children. Proceeds from the Brooke Jackman Race for Literacy will directly support Brooke Packs, Project Brooke, and Brooke's Books projects offered to children in diverse city, agency, and school programs.

Location: Oyster Bay, NY
Date: Saturday, May 19, 2019
Distance: 5k
Charity: Brooke Jackman Foundation
Contact: Erin Jackman at info@brookejackmanfoundation.org
Website: Register with RunSignUp

LOOP for Literacy Walk Run Bike

The Literacy Coalition is a nonprofit committed to ensuring that every resident of Palm Beach County, Florida is able to read. Our philosophy is best expressed by Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations: “Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope… (it is) the road to human progress and the means through which every man, woman and child can realize his or her full potential.” The mission of the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County is to improve the quality of life in our community by promoting and achieving literacy. Nearly half of all third graders in our county are not reading on grade level. One in seven adults in Palm Beach County is unable to read and understand information found in books, newspapers and manuals. Our goal is to ensure that every child and every adult in Palm Beach County can read.

Location: Lake Worth, FL
Date: Saturday, February 16, 2019
Distance: 5k, 24-mile bike
Charity: Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County
Contact: Please email questions to: Communications@LiteracyPBC.org or call 561-767-3370.
Website: Registration Page

The Run for Literacy

The 27th Annual Run for Literacy was on Saturday, October 13, 2018. The race features a 5K run and walk route beginning and ending at Literacy Network’s learning center in beautiful South Madison. All funds raised during this event go directly to support adults in Dane County who struggle with low literacy. 55,000 Dane County residents struggle with low literacy. Let’s change that.

Location: Madison, WI
Date: October 2019
Distance: 5k
Charity: Literacy Network
Contact: N/A
Website: Lit Network Run Page

BOOK IT! 5K Run/Walk & 1K Fun Run

Ethan & Choco’s Book Club (ECBC) was founded by Leukemia warrior Ethan after he noticed that books and reading were missing from the hospital experience of patients at CHOC Children’s Hospital in Orange County. ECBC is working on building a library and reading program at CHOC, with the goal to make access to books and reading part of patients’ everyday care. ECBC recognizes that literacy support for children fighting cancer and other life-threatening conditions can help promote cognitive development and social connections that are part of thriving through treatment and beyond. As a community book drive, we accept on-site book donations are welcome and greatly appreciated. Books can be purchased at the event from several authors as well as Scholastic, and all donors that put a new book into the ECBC Book Donation Box will receive a voucher for a free pancake breakfast.

Location: Costa Mesa, CA
Date: Sunday, September 8, 2019
Distance: 5k, 1k
Charity: Ethan & Choco’s Book Club
Contact: Alison Posner, ECBC @ maxloveproject.org
Website: Run Read Thrive RunSignup Page

Book’n It Run

The Book’n It Run for Literacy is a family-focused event consisting of four runs and a walk for all ages and abilities. The 2018 Book’n It Run had more than 400 runners and walkers and raised more than $36,000 through sponsorships, donations, and race entries to support the Sun Prairie Public Library. This event is organized by the Sun Prairie Public Library Foundation and all money raised goes to sponsor all the things that make the Sun Prairie Public Library so incredible, like the digital book collection and many other learning tools for all ages.

Location: Sun Prairie, WI
Date: Saturday, August 3, 2019
Distance: 5k, 10k, 1-mile fun run
Charity: Sun Prairie Public Library Foundation
Contact: E-Mail: info@sunlibfoundation.org; Phone: 608-825-7323
Website: Sun Library Foundation Run Page

Read & Run Half Marathon and 5K

We’re bringing together two of United Way’s fundamental pillars–health and education–in a unique combination, that will allow all ages and athletic abilities to come together to help improve lives in Hall County.

Location: Flowery Branch, GA
Date: March 2, 2019
Distance: 5k and half marathon
Charity: United Way of Hall County
Contact: N/A
Website: United Way Half Marathon