Annual Christmas Day Run / Walk to Benefit the House of Mercy (Rochester NY)

This event started in 2014 when runners passed through “Tent City, Sanctuary Village” and saw first hand the scope of homelessness in the community we call home. Six runners collected clothing and money that was delivered to the shelter that first year. We grew to around 12-15 in year two and to around 50 last year.

Though not an official race, and with no religious, political or individual store affiliations, this event has grown each year in the spirit of the season thanks simply to a bunch of wonderful people in our area. “We were running out of food, running out of clothing, running out of toys. And they came running to our rescue” said Sister Grace Miller, Founder of the House of Mercy, when asked about a previous year’s run.

Fleet Feet Sports Rochester has been a supporter since the beginning and will be accepting donations of clothing, non-perishable food items and money at all of their Rochester locations again this year. Rochester Running Co. will again make their locations available for those wishing to drop off items for the shelter. With the cold Rochester winters, the shelter is always in need of socks, hats, gloves, scarves, boots and coats. 

Donations can be dropped off to any Fleet Feet or Rochester Running Co. locations between December 1st and December 24th or brought to the event on Christmas Day. Donations of new, unopened toys, however, MUST be dropped off ONLY to Rochester Running Co. BEFORE December 17th as they will be delivered to the shelter on December 18th 2018.

On December 18th, I will join Team RWB Rochester in delivering all collected toys to the House of Mercy so that they can get them to families in need before the holiday. The shelter is expecting to feed dinner to roughly 150 individuals that evening, and I am super excited to announce that, Amiel’s Subs & Roast Beef has graciously offered to provide dinner for them all – and Team RWB Rochester will join me in serving the meal.

The “main event,” our 6th Annual Christmas Day Run / Walk to benefit the House of Mercy, will take place on Christmas Day morning, December 25th 2018. We will meet at the Fleet Feet Sports Amory location (155 Culver Rd., Rochester NY 14620) at 9:00 am where Santa and his elves will consolidate all donations to be transported to the shelter. Those walking the 2.9 miles to the shelter will head out at 9:30 am with runners following at 10:00 am. Upon Santa’s arrival everyone is encouraged to help unload donations for the shelter. As we do every year, we are in need of volunteers willing to help transport donations to the House of Mercy, and walkers and runners back to the Fleet Feet parking lot.

For more information, join our Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/917505318380980/announcements/