Somerset Hills Y 5K Raised Over $55K for Veterans

The 12th Annual Flag Day 5K Run hosted by the Somerset Hills YMCA on June 20 raised more than $55,000 for Community Hope’s supportive housing programs for homeless and disabled veterans to be built in Basking Ridge, and donations will continue to be accepted through July 15.

With thousands of former servicemen and women sleeping on the street or in shelters on any given night in New Jersey, nearly 300 runners and walkers, including corporate and community teams, registered for the event, according to information from Project Hope.

Proceeds from the event will specifically support the new Valley Brook Village for Veterans nearing final construction at the VA New Jersey Healthcare System campus in the Lyons section of Bernards Township.

Community Hope announced that it will continue fundraising on its website through Monday, July 15 for those wishing to make a Tribute donation to their special veteran for Independence Day to honor those who have defended our freedom. Community Hope set a fundraising record for this year’s Run but is attempting to reach a goal of $75,000 as opening of its newest veterans village approaches.

Those wishing to make a Tribute donation in honor or memory of a special veteran to help homeless and wounded veterans rebuild their lives through the Hope for Veterans® Program and the new Valley Brook Village can securely donate online at http://www.communityhope-nj.org/events.5krun. Individuals also can donate online to one of the event fundraising teams listed on the website.  

The 62 units are slated to open for occupancy as early as September and will provide on-site support and employment services to veterans.

Also benefitting from the event is the already existing Hope for Veterans Transitional Housing Program which provides transitional housing and support services to 95 homeless veterans a day.

This program, established by Community Hope in 2004, is located in a formerly vacant building also on the VA Lyons campus and has provided job training and other services to about about 700 homeless veterans at its transitional housing program in the past nine years.

This year’s event marked more than a decade in which the Somerset Hills YMCA has been hosting this event to support area veterans in need.

DRS Technologies is the lead underwriter and Five-Star General sponsor of the race.  Additional sponsors are Affinity Federal Credit Union and the Courier News as Colonel Sponsors and Major Sponsors are The Architectural Team, Inc., Lakeland Bank, Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church, the Mara New York Giants Foundation, Nixon Peabody LLP, Welcome Home Vets, Windover Construction, and David Wissert. Captain Sponsors of the race include BPO Elks Lodge No 2252, The Casey Group Inc., Delta Dental of New Jersey, Inc., Inserra Supermarkets, James Caldwell Post 185 American Legion, Jeffrey Sobel Consulting, Mack-Cali Realty Corp, Nisivocchio LLP, Rolling Thunder, Spencer Savings Bank, Stevenson D’Alessio American Legion-Post 12, and Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc.