The Light of Hope "Hope Starts Here" 5k race will be held on Saturday, August 16, 2025 in downtown Downers Grove, IL. This race benefits mental health awareness and advocacy and allows Light of Hope 501C3 to offer free and sliding fee scale individual and group counseling sessions as well as fund our speaking engagements on stress reduction and team leadership in the school and hospital settings to support the community.

#HopeStartsHere5k #LightofHope #DupageFoundation #RunSignUp #MentalHealthAwareness #YouMatter #DownersGrove #JCLandscaping #SkinMedSpa Please come out and support our first ever HOPE STARTS HERE 5K for mental health awareness in Downers Grove, IL. The event starts on August 16th, 2025 at 8am. Lace up on a Saturday morning, to run or walk to support a good cause, mental health awareness, and suicide prevention. The starting line is at 4832 Highland Ave (By St. Joes School at the corner of Highland and Franklin). We are so grateful to The Dupage Foundation, The Village of Downers Grove and all of the donors and volunteers who have supported us all throughout the year. We have raised almost $10,000 towards our $50,000 goal. We aim to give away 100 free counseling sessions from the proceeds of this event by Giving Tuesday this year. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making this important mission possible. Appearances by DJ AJ, Baked goods courtesy of The Great Sandeenie Bakery and Coffee Shop, Raffle by Give Butter and Luxe Give. If you need help or support, know that you are not alone, call the 988 crisis line or reach out to Light of Hope Wellness and Consultation at https://lnkd.in/ghsEC85f. We are here to help. Volunteers and sponsors interested in supporting our event or those in need of counseling please contact us at gretchen@lightofhopewc.org or information@lightofhopewc.org. Sign up for the 5K run/walk or donate to the cause here: https://lnkd.in/gMJvJfs4 Water, Gatorade, snacks, swag bags, T-shirts and medals will be available on-site for volunteers, participants, and finishers. Thank you all, and see you out there!

Gretchen lost a close family friend to suicide and has made it her mission to make mental health more accessible for those in need. She also lost her mom to ovarian cancer in 2024 and is passionate about working with chronic illness patients and their families.

At a young age Hector always worked to help people understand others and themselves better. He lost a cousin to suicide and it has shaped his view of interacting with others. He has seen the effects of those not seeking help or being able to get help. That's why he and Gretchen teamed up to make mental health more accessible.

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Hope Starts Here 5K