Save the Date! Strides for Shelter 5K Run + Walk will be on Oct. 17, 2026
Join us as we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Strides for Shelter 5K on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. For a decade, this community event has brought together REALTORS®, industry partners, families, and supporters to help create housing opportunities across our region.
Awards & Prizes
Run for a personal best, rally your team, or bring the family. Explore this year’s awards!
Overall & Masters Awards
Awards will be presented to the top three male and top three female finishers in each category.
Overall
- First place: $30 running shoe gift certificate + special trophy
- Second place: $25 running shoe gift certificate
- Third place: $20 running shoe gift certificate
Masters
- First place: $25 running shoe gift certificate + special trophy
- Second place: $20 running shoe gift certificate
- Third place: $15 running shoe gift certificate
All running shoe gift certificates are generously donated by Charlotte Running Company, Dilworth.
Little Squirt Award – NEW this year!
The top two 5K finishers under age 13 will receive Sports Connection gift certificates.
Special shopping cart trophies will be awarded to first-place male and female finishers in the overall and Masters categories.
This Year’s Beneficiary, Crisis Assistance Ministry
Crisis Assistance Ministry will be our 2026 race beneficiary. Crisis Assistance Ministry serves as a vital lifeline for Mecklenburg County families in financial crisis, providing the essential support and advocacy they need to regain self-sufficiency.
Proceeds from the 2026 Strides for Shelter event will directly fund a major transformation of their Free Store. This initiative will modernize the shopping environment – improving organization, layout, and flow – to ensure that families can access clothing, shoes, and household essentials with dignity and ease. By reducing congestion and creating a more welcoming, customer centered space, these upgrades will provide a more supportive experience for our neighbors during their most challenging moments.
The Canopy Housing Foundation has given away over $242,000 to nine different beneficiaries through Strides for Shelter race proceeds over the course of the race’s nine-year history.
