A huge thank you to Joseph Stark for supporting Blessings in a Backpack during his Spartan Race on August 24! He’s raising funds to help us provide weekend food to kids in need. Driven by a deepened sense of empathy since becoming a parent, this racer is raising funds for Blessings in a Backpack, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing food to school-aged children facing food insecurity. While the demands of family and work limit his ability to volunteer, he’s channeling his athletic spirit into this race to prevent weekend hunger for kids nationwide.
I’m taking part the August 24 Spartan Race in Temecula, CA and am humbly asking those who are willing to make a small contribution to my fundraising campaign. I will be donating raised funds to Blessings in a Backpack, a non-profit that provides meals to school aged children experiencing food insecurity.
A little background as to why I selected this non-profit. One – I’ve never felt like much of an emotional person and struggled understanding concept of empathy as it seemed contrived, illogical, or non-pragmatic. However, since the birth of my two children, my heart and soul are quite different. The emotional connection to a child is something special. Their hurts and joys are your hurts and joys. You want to protect them from everything. This care applies to other kids. It’s hard to see children who aren’t getting the absolute best and you feel the pain of their parents due to shared experience. My wife can attest to my newfound “softness” during movies where a child might be sick or hurt and I try my best to conceal my tears 😆
Secondly, due to the nature of my full time job and the demands of being a father and husband after work, it’s difficult for me to volunteer and contribute in the ways that I know I’d be most impactful. Although I’m now a washed up Division I athlete and can assure you there is no chance I’m setting any personal records on this race, I can at least complete it and make a minor impact and benefit others.
I will be mentally and physically pushing myself to the limit, both in training and on race day, to help make a difference for a cause that’s close to my heart and worthy of this effort.”
How to Fundraise for Blessings in a Backpack with Spartan
- Click here to select your Spartan Race, choose Blessings in a Backpack within checkout, and begin the training and fundraising process!
- Already registered for a Spartan Race? Start your fundraising journey or make a donation today.
- On average, $175 is the cost to feed a child every weekend of one school year.
Hunger has both short- and long-term negative effects on children’s health and ability to succeed in school. Blessings in a Backpack mobilizes communities, individuals, and resources to provide food on the weekends for elementary school children across America who might otherwise go hungry. Visit blessingsinabackpack.org to learn how you can help end childhood hunger on the weekends in your community.
