THE Homeless Run '24: Breaking Barriers and Changing Lives

Photo Credit: The Hope Exchange

It’s almost time for the 3rd THE Homeless Run, a way to support the homeless simply by hitting the pavement with your running shoes and chasing a finish line of greater empathy and love:

Cape Town, South Africa (10 October 2024) — The 10th of October marks World Homeless Day; a time for those of us more fortunate to rally together for the greater good of society’s forgotten members. In an effort to support Cape Town’s homeless community, The Hope Exchange (THE) is preparing for its highly anticipated THE Homeless Run ’24!

THE Homeless Run was initiated by the shelter based in Cape Town in 2022 as a way to bridge the gap between their clients (homeless people who are turning their lives around) and those who had the power to make a difference in their lives, levelling the playing field through something that connects us all—sport!

At once a small but successful event, THE Homeless Run has grown over the years and is now a time of great excitement for THE’s clients.

As the shelter reflects, it is not just a fundraising run. It’s also an opportunity for them to change perspectives and challenge misconceptions about the homeless community they work with.

“It reminds us that we are all human, sharing common interests like running and supporting each other,” THE shares.

As one of their clients says:

“Imagine that some people in the neighbourhood might have seen me sitting on the curb somewhere and formed one idea of who I am. On Thursday, they might see me happily running with a group and doing something. That could change their idea of who I am.”

How to Get Involved

On 10 October, THE’s clients are going to be running together, and those who wish to run with them are welcome to join the group. You can contact marie@thehopeexchange.org for more details!
Those who are in a different area can run wherever they are in solidarity. Simply pop on your running shoes, invite a few friends to join in, tag The Hope Exchange using the hashtag #thehomelessrun and mention them on socials: @thehopeexchange_ for Instagram and The HopeExchange.org for Facebook.
Donate just R100 or more if you are in a position to do so
You can also sponsor an element of the event you can, whether it’s printed T-shirts, bottled water and fruit for the runners, balloons for team spirit or raffle prizes. Get in touch with Marie via the email shared above.