Pitt’s Promise for Youth is gearing up for another event in coming months with the Foster Care Awareness 5k Walk/Run.

The organization was founded by Anabelle Pitts, who saw a need in the community and decided to address it.

“I am a first-generation college student,” Pitts said. “I was applying for scholarships and I found one based on kids being in foster care. It was for $5,000 and I was so sure I would get it, because I spent so many years in foster care. I was denied, because I was returned to my biological parent when I was 17. I was returned, I think, in May and then turned 18 in July. I was just a few months short. I was denied for that and began wondering that, if I was denied, who else was? So, I wanted to start my own that wouldn’t have such strict criteria.”

The group officially started in July of 2022 and they’re still in early stages of forming, building up assets and being an organization that will last in the long term. While they haven’t announced any scholarship recipients yet, they’ve been working hard to offer other benefits while they do that legwork of forming themselves.

They’ve collected Christmas toys, raised hygiene products, and have collected luggage for kids within the system to carry their property in.

“When we were in foster care, we only ever had minutes to gather our belongings for a move, sometimes,” Pitts said. “We usually had to use trash bags. Picking up your life so immediately and showing up to someone carrying trash bags can make you feel worthless. Something like a suitcase can give someone dignity.”

Registration is $30 and the $25 early bird special includes a t-shirt.

They’re currently looking for sponsors, offering three tiers of support. Bronze, at $50, includes social media exposure and one participant. Silver, at $75, offers a business or name included on event banners, social media exposure, and one participant. Gold, at $100, is their top tier, including social media exposure, name or business included on the event banner, name or business logo on social media event flyer and two participants.

“Your sponsorship means that you’ll be making a contribution that will help us get one step closer to providing scholarships and empowering current and former foster children and their families everywhere, Pitts said of the sponsorship opportunity.

Awards will be given to the top three places in each category.

The race is June 3, starting at Stadium Lunch, in the east end of Portsmouth. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. Lunch will follow with a free hotdog for runners.

“I have so many emotions. I have gratitude and I’m excited and cannot wait. I know people are going to get the idea and we’re going to create the most awareness for foster care with this event,” Pitts said. “Foster care awareness month is in May, and the ribbon is the light blue that our shirts are. I know people will get these t-shirts and have them not only on the day of the run, but also after, and we are going to create awareness for foster youth in our community on an even greater scale.”

Pitts said the group is inching closer to being able to hand out scholarships.

“We are getting very, very close. We are hoping, by the end of this year, to open our scholarship applications and awarding the start of 2024,” Pitts explained. “We are hoping to create more awareness for foster youth in the community while also creating awareness for Pitts Promise to be able to succeed and go beyond that goal.”

Reach out to Pitts by telephone at 740.961.0060 or 740.352.0798. Please, no texts. Additionally, you may reach her by email, [email protected].

Reach Joseph Pratt at (740) 353-3101, by email at [email protected], © 2022 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved