Plano’s LifePoint Church distributed $54,548.54 to seven organizations fighting Collin County homelessness on May 4. The funds were raised in the church’s first OutRun Homelessness 5K and Fun Run, which took place at the church March 22, where more than 1,000 people raced in the fight against homelessness in the community.

The funds were distributed at a special service at the church, where representatives from City House, Emily’s Place, Family Promise, God’s Food Pantry, Hope’s Door, Samaritan Inn and Shiloh Place were all present to receive $7,792.62 each.

“We are so appreciative of LifePoint’s efforts to both educate the community about local homelessness and help emergency services organizations like ours,” Karen Voelker, community relations manager at City House, said. “These funds will go directly to our programs benefitting the children and young adults in our shelters.

“The Outrun Homelessness event was a great way to bring so many people in our neighborhood together for a great cause. We had church members and nonmembers, avid runners, those interested in learning more about the issue and representatives from local social service organizations all working together,” Lead Pastor George Feiser said. 

Homelessness in Collin County is on the rise, despite its reputation as a wealthy suburb. Since 2010, the county has seen a 138 percent increase in those counted as homeless. In 2013, 36 percent of homeless individuals counted were children. The OutRun Homelessness event is just one component of the church’s effort to fight homelessness locally. LifePoint staff and members “adopted” a local homeless family in 2013 with the help of Collin County’s Family Promise and assisted them with housing, transportation, employment and other basic living necessities for several months. When that family “graduates” from the program this summer, the church will adopt another local homeless family, and then share their process with other churches in Collin County in order to solve this problem.

LifePoint Church is located at 4501 Hedgcoxe Road, Plano, Texas, 75024.  For more information, visit the website orcall 972-335-3112.