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Hundreds of people gathered at Cosmopolitan Park in Columbia in June for The Food Bank's 9th Annual Hope for Heroes 5K.
Devin Stevenson was one of more than 250 people who ran or walked. This year marked his second time participating in the Hope for Heroes 5K. He stood out in the crowd of runners, carrying an American flag throughout the race. Devin is a member of C.O.L.O.R.S. Guard, which stands for "Carrying Our Loved Ones' Remembered Sacrifices."
"We carry the flag for those who couldn't carry it anymore, whether they were injured in the line of duty or overseas, or fallen, that's why we carry the flags," Devin said.
Devin says he supports organizations that give back to veterans.
"We don't, as a country, take enough care of our veterans. We need to do a better job, and The Food Bank does it, and I'm hoping that organizations can start to see that and support not only The Food Bank but our veterans in general," Devin said.
The Hope for Heroes 5K would not be possible without our sponsors. Columbia Insurance, the presenting sponsor, has been an amazing supporter of The Food Bank for years.
"At Columbia Insurance, we’re committed to supporting communities across our 14-state service region, especially those who have selflessly served in uniform. For nearly a decade, we’ve proudly supported the Hope for Heroes 5K, where it’s always incredible to see neighbors, families and local businesses come together to help fight hunger," Columbia Insurance Communications Strategist Mary Ellen Lohmann said.
Taren Clark and several of her coworkers from Aurora Organic Dairy, another sponsor for the Hope for Heroes 5K, registered to run.
"It was actually my idea. I'm into running, so I convinced all my coworkers to run with me," Taren said. "We support Float Your Boat, and now that that's going away, we did the last voyage this year, we're trying to get into a different thing, and hopefully, the 5k is something we can do every year."
The Hope for Heroes 5K would also not be possible without the support of our volunteers. The Food Bank hosted 18 volunteers this year who served a total of 54 hours. The volunteers helped set up the course, cheered on runners and handed out water and medals.
Including in-kind support (non-cash goods and services), the 9th Annual Hope for Heroes 5K raised more than $65,000 to help support veterans in our 32-county service area facing food insecurity.
The proceeds from the Hope for Heroes 5K will benefit The Food Bank's veterans programs, including the VIP Veteran Pack Program. The Food Bank distributes 560 Veteran Packs a month across 13 counties. Veteran Packs are monthly boxes that include nutritious food and personal care items. These packs include ready-to-eat entrees, soups, fruits, vegetables and toiletries such as razors, body wash and deodorant.
A family who receives Veteran Packs shared with us that getting their box each month brings them joy.
"We are two senior citizens, so it helps us save in millions of ways. It's amazing how much we save on our grocery bill," they said.
The Food Bank plans to grow the Hope for Heroes 5K. The Food Bank President and CEO, Lindsay Lopez, announced at the event that the 10th Annual Hope for Heroes in 2027 will feature both a 5K and a 10K. The race will be held earlier in the year at a new location.
More details about next year's race will be released at a later time.