Kean University Founders 5K

On Saturday, April 18, 2026 St. Joseph will celebrate our 40th Anniversary and the 40th consecutive year of our Soup Kitchen program with a community walk from The Parish Community of St. Helen in Westfield, NJ to St. Joseph Social Service Center in Elizabeth, NJ. The Camino de St. Joseph is modeled after the European pilgrimage Camino de Santiago and there are several ways to participate in the event.

Ways to Participate

Pray with Us

Join us for Mass at The Parish Community of St. Helen, 1600 Rahway Ave, Westfield, NJ 07090

Time: 9:00 A.M.

Walk with Us

There are 3 options to join the walk:

• 9-mile walk: This option is the full walk and begins at The Parish Community of St. Helen in Westfield. This option may take approximately 3.5 - 4 hours with stops at St. John the Apostle in Clark and Warinano Sports Center in Roselle. Check-in for the 9-mile walk begins at 9:15AM. *If you will be joining Mass and joining the 9-mile walk, please feel free to check-in for the walk at 8:30AM.

• 6-mile walk: This option allows participants to join the walk at St. John's and it may take 2.5 hours. Check-in for the 6-mile begins at 10:30AM.

• 3-mile walk: This option allows participants to join the walk at Warinanco Sports Center which will take approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. Check-in for the 3-mile walk begins at 11:15AM.

Break Bread with Us

Location: St. Joseph Social Service Center, 118 Division St. Elizabeth

Time: approximately 2:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M.

Donate Food

Each starting point will also serve as a food donation site if you are interested in donating non-perishable food items. Currently, our urgent needs include 1 lb bags of rice, boxed pasta, plastic jars of pasta sauce, assorted boxed cereal, canned and dry black beans, and shelf-stable milk.

Donate Funds

Please consider making a monetary donation to support our work. You can donate via RunSignUp at the top right of this page, visit our website at https://www.sjeliz.org/donate-online.html, or mail a check to St. Joseph Social Service Center 118 Division St. Elizabeth NJ 07201.

The Camino de St. Joseph represents more than a path. It represents a journey of hope, stability, and community. When you give, you walk with families facing hardship. You help place food on tables, provide warm clothing, assist with life-saving medications, and connect individuals to vital social services. Every gift, at every level, strengthens this path. Thank you for always supporting St. Joseph Social Service Center's mission.

Spring Into Action at Mayor Ted R. Green’s Opioid Awareness 5K Race!

The countdown is on! Join us on Sunday, April 26, 2026, for Mayor Ted R. Green’s Opioid Awareness 5K Race—where fitness meets purpose. Let’s run, walk, and raise awareness about opioid misuse while embracing a healthier community.

🏁 Choose Your Challenge:

💨 5K Run – Compete for cash prizes and test your speed! 🏅

🚶‍♀️ 5K Walk – Take it at your own pace and enjoy the energy!🏆 Cash Prizes (Male & Female Categories):

🥇 1st Place – $250

🥈 2nd Place – $150

🥉 3rd Place – $75

Race Day Schedule:

Check-in & Pre-registration: 7:00-7:30 AM

5K Run Start: 8:30 AM

5K Walk Start: 8:00 AM

Parking:

We have a parking lot at 95 Evergreen Pl behind our building. If that is full, there is street parking on Evergreen Pl.

Spring is the season of new beginnings—so let’s step into action together!

📞 For more info, call 973.266.5480.

Let’s move, motivate, and make a difference!

#eocares #eastorange #onecity #onecommunity #FallIntoFitness #5KRun #OpioidAwareness #CommunityFitness

The Strides For Scholars point-to-point, downhill course is the fastest 5K in Connecticut. Set a new PR!

Registration and Packet Pickup starts at 7:30 AM and takes place at the Union Elementary School,18 Kinney Hollow RD, Union, CT. This year, the 5K Run or Walk will also take place at Union School, going off at 9:00 AM. There is plenty of parking on site.

The race will start at the school and proceed down Kinney Hollow Rd for 3.1 miles through the scenic Yale Forest. There will be a shuttle bus at the finish line to transport runners back to the school. This a among the fastest 5K courses in the state, perfect for a PB.

T-shirts for the first 100 runners/walkers registered by April 1st, 2026.

Proceeds from this race go to the Union School Association Scholarship Foundation. Since the first scholarship was awarded in 1995, scholarships have been awarded annually to graduating high school seniors. Donations to the USASF can be made directly to the scholarship fund via RunSignUp.