Dedicated to preventing, reducing, and eliminating poverty, hunger, and homelessness by providing supportive services for mental health, job training, addiction treatment, and other services, Hope the Mission, formerly Hope of the Valley, decided to approach their ALL IN for Housing campaign with an innovative twist: running 350 miles.

Hope the Mission’s CEO Ken Craft and President Rowan Vansleve recently ran 350 miles from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. The two executives didn’t run to show off their athleticism, but to raise awareness for homelessness and funds for three new family shelters across Los Angeles.

Hope the Mission dedicates each day to prevent, reduce, and eliminate poverty, hunger, and homelessness by offering immediate assistance and long-term solutions, operating 17 facilities across Los Angeles and focusing on a ‘housing first’ model. The goal is to provide housing for all unhoused residents of the city.

The ALL IN campaign was designed to be an ALL IN fundraiser to raise the final $350,000 for three new Family Shelter complexes in Los Angeles County which will provide 724 new beds for unhoused families. Over the course of 21 days, Hope the Mission asked donors to sponsor as many of the 700,000 steps of the run, for $.50 cents each.

While the run was a long journey, Craft emphasized that solving homelessness will take time and meaningful actions from all Angelenos, which includes advocating for policies that promote affordable housing, supporting organizations that work with people who are unhoused, and engaging in ongoing dialogue and collaboration.

“There were moments on our run when it felt like we were never going to reach our goal of making it back to Los Angeles. In those moments of wanting to give up, I remembered what we were running for is something so much bigger than Rowan and me,” Craft said. “The ALL IN campaign was a unique reminder for us that solving homelessness is going to take
determination and long-term commitment.”

Craft and Vansleve’s run ended on March 10 when they crossed the finish line in Los Angeles and the final results of the run were enormous. The public chipped in with small individual donations to donate a total of $300,000 during the 350 mile journey, answering the urgent call to address the homelessness crisis with compassion and meaningful solutions.

Since the campaign ended, Hope the Mission and Los Angeles County opened the Alvarado Family Shelter and are on track to open up two additional family shelters in the coming months. Made possible through critical funding from the ALL IN campaign, the Alvarado Family Shelter is equipped with 43 units and 172 beds, which will provide housing for 43 families as well as supportive services.

“Our recently opened family shelter’ is a prime example of the ‘All in for Housing’ initiative! As a team, Hope The Mission aims to offer promise to numerous children with the ultimate objective of providing them with their own homes,” said Sandra Prieto, Director of Family Programs at Hope the Mission. “‘The Alvarado’ represents a beacon of hope that will have a long-lasting positive impact on many lives.”

The ALL IN campaign’s impact will go beyond the Alvarado Family Shelter, with two additional motels that Hope the Mission will transform into family shelters using the funds raised during the ALL IN effort.

“The funds raised from the ALL IN campaign played a critical role in enabling our organization to deliver enhanced services to our families and extend financial assistance where it is most needed,” Prieto said. “This could range from basic day-to-day toiletries to a first-month rent deposit, or simply being able to offer grocery aid when public assistance falls short.”

Hope the Mission’s ALL IN for Housing campaign, led by CEO Ken Craft and President Rowan Vansleve, successfully raised awareness and funds for three new family shelters in Los Angeles County throughout their 350-mile run. With the Alvarado Family Shelter and similar family shelters that will open shortly, Hope the Mission continues to make a difference in the lives of unhoused families. The campaign’s success highlights the power of small and large actions from all Angelenos to address the homelessness crisis with compassion and meaningful solutions.