BALTIMORE — A Baltimore running club is taking its support for single mothers to the next level this weekend with a 134-mile relay race from Baltimore City Hall to Philadelphia City Hall.
WATCH: Baltimore runners relay 134 miles to support single mothers
The Track Hawks Run Club has partnered with the Jeremiah Program to raise funds and awareness for single mothers pursuing college degrees.
The relay begins at 6 a.m. and aims to finish by 6 a.m., covering the distance between the two cities.
"This is my way of showing up for women that I may never meet, but I will know that they are well taken care of, and they will forever be well taken care of," Yasmine Allen said.
The Jeremiah Program in Baltimore currently serves 54 mothers and nearly 100 children, providing financial support to single mothers pursuing their college education.
Danielle Staton, executive director of the Jeremiah Program, drew parallels between the relay and the program's mission.
"Great analogy for what we do at the Jeremiah program, you know our moms are running the race of being single moms trying to get a degree, but they're not doing it alone. They have a coach, a literal coach who supports the work. They have a community that supporting them, and we're passing on that baton of opportunity, and at the finish line is their children," Staton said.
The event serves as both a fundraiser and awareness campaign, with organizers hoping to raise more than $5,000.
Demetrius Kingston, a member of the Track Hawks Run Club, said the cause resonates with him personally.
"My sister is a single mom, and I grew up with women all around me, so I always felt like we always need to take care of the women first, so I felt like as soon as I heard this, I was like oh yeah we need to jump on that because I always see in the eyes of any woman that needs help. We can always just help out," Kingston said.
Yasmine Allen, also with Track Hawks Run Club, said she connects with the mothers in the program as both a single mother and runner.
"Someone band together just to help single mothers because at the end of the day, we are the most unprotected and we need the most protection, so if I have to run 20 miles or 134 miles, which is what will be running this weekend, that's exactly what we are planning to do," Allen said.
The Jeremiah Program has five mothers graduating in June, and organizers hope events like this relay will continue supporting their educational goals.
The rally begins Saturday at 6am at Baltimore City Hall, and they expect to reach the Philidelphia city hall by 6am on Sunday.
The Jeremiah Program also has another fundraiser called Raising The Stakes at Blue Pit in Hampden on May 2nd.
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