Gods Love We Deliver 21st Annual Race in Central Park

Winnie McCroy READ TIME: 2 MIN.

On Sunday, November 23, in New York City's Central Park, God's Love We Deliver will put their best foot forward with The Race to Deliver, one of their largest annual fundraisers. The four-mile run/walk, followed by multiple-distance kids' races, helps them reach their goal of funding 40,000 meals.

"In some ways this is our largest fundraiser -- certainly the greatest participation," said God's Love president and CEO Karen Pearl. "With the four-mile run and kids' races after, it's a family affair that everybody can participate in. It's a great day -- my favorite!"

The sold-out event is celebrating its 21st year of runners and supporters braving the winter cold to fight hunger. Each $10 donation supplies one meal medically tailored for the individual that will receive it.

"The four-mile run/walk is a symbol of our daily race to ensure that no person ever has to face the unthinkable combination of illness and hunger," organizers write on the website.

God's Love We Deliver began as a food delivery program for people living with HIV/AIDS; they now deliver meals for people living with more than 200 different illnesses. For more than 29 years, God's Love has been there for our New York neighbors so that no one has to fight the dual crises of being sick and hungry. God's Love now cooks and delivers more than one million meals each year to people who are too sick to shop or cook for themselves.

God's Love We Deliver is powered by 8,000 volunteers, who selflessly work year-round to cook and deliver nutritious meals, inspired by the strong belief in "food as medicine." "We count on them over the course of the year and we have a lot of them running," said Pearl. "Today, they'll have everyone cheering for them!"

God's Love We Deliver thanks you for your fundraising and for raising awareness for God's Love -- with your help, they are able to cook and deliver more than 1.2 million meals each year for neighbors living with severe illnesses.


by Winnie McCroy , EDGE Editor

Winnie McCroy is the Women on the EDGE Editor, HIV/Health Editor, and Assistant Entertainment Editor for EDGE Media Network, handling all women's news, HIV health stories and theater reviews throughout the U.S. She has contributed to other publications, including The Village Voice, Gay City News, Chelsea Now and The Advocate, and lives in Brooklyn, New York.

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