Run for the Hungry

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The 17th annual San Diego Run for the Hungry will draw over 4,000 participants and a few hundred four-legged friends to walk/run a 5k and 10k course throughout Downtown, East Village, Gaslamp, and Little Italy.

200 volunteers will assist with registration, water stations, course marshalling, start/finish line crowd control, and clean-up.

Free parking will be available at the Westfield Horton Plaza parking garage, but please be aware the first floor is for vendors only.

Volunteer positions:

Post Race Food - Setting up and distributing food to the participants after their race has concluded. May involve chopping apples, oranges, bananas, and other fruits. Water and other foods are distributed.

Start Line Crew - Responsible for keeping the runners at the starting area and away from the timing area until the race begins.

Finish Line Crew - Responsible for moving the runners to the post race area and prevent them from being close to the timekeepers.

Water Stops - There are two water stops on the course. Water/Gatorade will be poured into cups and given to the runners as they go by. Discarded cups will be picked up.

Vendor Assistance - To assist vendors in setting up their canopies/tents.

Course marshals - To assist runners to go the proper direction on the course, as there are a few turns.

General volunteer - To help where help is needed.

If you have a position preference, please indicate so in an email to Nancy Eisenberg at neisenberg@sandiegfoodbank.org

This event benefits the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank, which serves 370,000 San Diegans who struggle with food insecurity monthly.

Run for the Hungry was created in 2000 by Michael London, then founder and CEO of PureFitness Athletic Clubs in San Diego. His vision was to have a premier event on Thanksgiving Day in Downtown San Diego that would benefit people who face hunger in the community. All profits from this race are donated to the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank.

The event started as a 5k race at Seaport Village. It grew by leaps and bounds over the following years, and moved to Petco Park to accommodate the growing number of participants.

The extended 10k course has presented challenges with trolley crossings and rerouting traffic, but the San Diego Police Department has done an outstanding job providing officers on a holiday to keep race participants safe.

Participants enjoy being able to run or walk through beautiful Downtown San Diego and the Historic Gaslamp Quarter. The event attracts all levels and abilities from athletes to families looking to get some exercise before sitting down to a Thanksgiving meal. An added bonus to the event includes the participation of dogs, and each registered dog receives a bandana and dog treats along the course.

Run for the Hungry has remained a fun family tradition on Thanksgiving Day for the past 17 years. Plus, it is a great way to get outside and burn a few calories before indulging in your favorite holiday dishes. Plus, for every participant, at least 185 meals will be raised through each runner’s race fee to help individuals and families in need.