People ask why I run. The truth is, I run because it’s the best way I know to bring awareness to the justice gap and raise money to fill it. So, for the third consecutive year, we are doing it again – six marathons in six days, courthouse to courthouse from the Supreme Court in Tallahassee to Jacksonville. On Sunday, December 15, I will start running and finish on Friday, December 20th at 3:00 p.m. at the Duval County Courthouse. This initiative known as Freed To Run is a way for me and others to leverage our spheres of influence to bring about positive change, and to do it through a fun and challenging event.
All funds raised, plus a generous 125% match from the Baptist Health Foundation, go directly to an endowment to fund the Northeast Florida Medical Legal Partnership (NFMLP). The partnership provides pediatric patients and their families free legal counsel through Jacksonville Area Legal Aid to assist with challenges that all too often accompany terminal or chronic medical conditions. Last year, NFMLP assisted over 200 children with, among other issues, obtaining state or federal benefits, resolving insurance issues, remedying substandard housing and structuring individualized educational programs.
In just two years, Freed To Run has raised over $550,000 thanks to the help of previous participants, sponsors and donors.
This year, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Florida Blue are on-board as sponsors. I am grateful for the continued support and encouragement I receive to ensure that FreedToRun will be bigger and better in 2019.
That is why I run.
Mike Freed
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