Runners For Others: An Ignatian 5K for Social Justice

Ignatius image by Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Baltimore student Shayla Francis ’13.

Men and women for others are hitting the road to become runners for others on April 6, 2013, when the first Ignatian 5K road race and one mile walk will be held in Baltimore. All proceeds from the race will directly support the social ministry programs of nine Jesuit organizations in the Baltimore area.

The event’s organizer, Chip Cooke, an alum of Loyola Blakefield and the University of Scranton and a current Marquette University graduate student, says there are three main goals for the 5K: to spread awareness about social ministry programs, to celebrate the good they are doing and to raise money.

The nine organizations taking part are: Cristo Rey Jesuit High School; the Ignatian Volunteer Corps; the Jesuit Volunteer Corps; Loyola Blakefield; Loyola University Maryland; St. Alphonsus Rodriguez Church, Woodstock; St. Ignatius Church, Baltimore; St. Ignatius Loyola Academy; and the Maryland Province.

While there are a variety of organizations involved — from schools to parishes to the province office — all the money raised will be split equally and used for social ministry programs.

“Whether it’s renting a bus to take Loyola Blakefield students out to do community service in the city or helping to sponsor an Ignatian Volunteer Corps member in Baltimore, the funds we raise will be earmarked specifically for social justice ministry programs,” says Cooke, who hopes for about 100 runners for the race’s inaugural year.

For more information, visit the Runners For Others Facebook page or website. If you can’t make it to the race and are interested in being a sponsor, contact the Maryland Province at 443-921-1310.