2nd Annual Friends of the Poor 5K Walk Run Family Event

Name: 2nd Annual Friends of the Poor 5K Walk Run Family Event
Start: 2025-09-27T06:45:00-04:00
Location: Church of Our Saviour

Schedule

Sat, 27 Sep, 2025 at 06:45 am

UTC-04:00

Location

Church of Our Saviour | Cocoa Beach, FL

Link to Event Facebook Page: SVDP Friends of the Poor Run/Walk 5K at
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578679907291#
A nation-wide event sponsored by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, this local 2nd Annual Run/Walk family event is to raise awareness and funds supporting the local Conference’s Outreach Center and Food Pantry at Our Saviour’s Church providing services to our poor Cocoa Beach – Cape Canaveral neighbors.
5K Run/Walk Details:
• 5K out and back run or walk from the Our Saviour Church’s parking lot onto Banana River Drive and nearby residential neighborhood.
• Awards: over a dozen awards categories for all ages
• Registration fee: Adults $28 (plus fees); Kids Pre-K through 17 years old $15 (plus fees).
• Parking: Our Saviour Catholic Church parking lot
• Free Kids Dash – after the 5K is completed
• Dogs: dogs are welcome, but they must be on a leash
• Refreshments: post-race for participants
• Huge Raffle Basket Extravaganza – Over 40 baskets worth $100 or more; tickets on sale Sept 13th & 20th 10am – 3pm at Church of Our Saviour community center. Drawing during the 2nd Annual Friends of the Poor Race/Walk. 1 for $5; 3 for $10; arm’s length of tickets $20. Do NOT need to be present to win. Hotel stays, spa visits, escape games, retail gift cards, dolphin tours, dining gift cards, & much more!
• Money raised funds our faith-based Outreach Center and Food Pantry providing many different services to aid the poor in our Cocoa Beach – Cape Canaveral community.
Why? Because the Community Need is Huge
• With approximately 21,000 residents in Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral, about 2,700 of our neighbors experience daily hunger. Nearly 50% of people facing hunger do not qualify for government support.
• Local Family Poverty – 4.9% of local residents; Elderly Poverty is 7.1% of local residents over 65.
• Why such shocking numbers? Too many factors to address properly but easily relatable are: job loss, inability to file for unemployment insurance, inflation, unexpected crises requiring rent or food money be used on urgent solution, and other problems.
Community Partnerships: Our work is supported by the Church of Our Saviour’s parishioners, the Elks Lodge 2387, the Cocoa Beach Woman’s Club, Riverside Presbyterian Church, other local community groups and local businesses. We receive zero government funding.
Our LOCAL impact: We are a 100% volunteer operated service organization
• Founded 1988 and part of the international Society of St. Vincent de Paul , we are a faith-based community outreach program and food pantry. Our 51 members answer the call of our Lord Jesus Christ to serve the poor, the suffering and the deprived living in Cocoa Beach – Cape Canaveral.
• Open 3 days Mon/Wed/Fri 9:30AM to 1:00PM at 130 Cleveland Avenue, Cocoa Beach
• 2024 Our pantry distributed over $108,000 in assistance - $61,000 for food and $47,000 for emergency aid assistance with rent, utilities, medical, auto repairs and more.
• 2024 We assisted over 700 neighbors with over 6,000 individual services – these ‘corporal acts of mercy’ are charitable actions rooted in our Christian tradition focused on meeting the physical and material needs of others.