Race for children's mental health

Rancho Mirage, California (February 4, 2022) – Our collective mental and physical wellbeing could use more carefree play and outdoor community-building; fortunately, the Be a Hero 5k, an event for Coachella Valley families, is coming Saturday, Feb. 19, and will benefit the missions of the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center and Hazelden Betty Ford Children's Program. The inaugural Be a Hero 5K fundraiser will have robust safety protocols in place at Rancho Mirage Community Park, and will be a fun-filled morning with a challenging 5K course that is friendly to runners, walkers, strollers and dogs. It will feature a Jr. Superheroes Dash, a children's festival, a wellness fair, hands-on activities for kids and more.

The race will take place in the midst of the greatest addiction and mental health crisis in generations, greatly exacerbated by COVID-19 and all of its related stressors. Just last month, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a national advisory highlighting that the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified a crisis-level rise in adolescent depression, anxiety and mental health distress.

Both nonprofit beneficiaries share in a mission to better the lives of children throughout the Coachella Valley. The programs also share proximity, with the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center located on the Eisenhower Medical Center campus and the Hazelden Betty Ford Children's Program located on the neighboring Betty Ford Center campus. Combined, the two nonprofit programs in Rancho Mirage, Calif., help more than 6,360 families each year, and neither turns away potential participants due to a family's inability to pay.

"We teamed up for the Be A Hero 5k because it's so clear that there are many parallels in our work and many more kids and families that need our help," said Analia Hoyt, program manager for the Hazelden Betty Ford Children's Program in Rancho Mirage. "The disruption of the pandemic has created more chaos in homes that may have already been feeling the turmoil of caregiver addiction—and we wanted to create a day full of fun that lets families come together as a community and play."

"We are excited to bring together the Coachella Valley community for this fun, outdoor event, which will help us connect families in crisis and families in recovery with safe spaces and resources," said Araceli Martinez, clinical programs and outreach director of the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center located. "With more people struggling than ever, it's important to reach out and connect with families in every way possible."

The entry fee covers registration, an event t-shirt, finisher medal, special superhero cape and mask, tote bag and finish line snacks. Registration is $40 now until February 17 and the children's 10 and under Jr. Superheroes Dash is $15. Virtual racers may sign up for $50.

Anyone interested in participating in the day's events—in-person or virtually—or donating without running, can register or donate at events.hakuapp.com/be-a-hero-5k.

About the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation and its Children's Program

The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is a force of healing and hope for individuals, families and communities affected by addiction to alcohol and other drugs. As the nation's leading nonprofit provider of comprehensive inpatient and outpatient addiction and mental health care for adults and youth, the Foundation has treatment centers and telehealth services nationwide as well as a network of collaborators throughout health care. With a legacy that began in 1949 and includes the 1982 founding of the Betty Ford Center, the Foundation today also encompasses a graduate school of addiction studies, a publishing division, an addiction research center, recovery advocacy and thought leadership, professional and medical education programs, school-based prevention resources and a specialized program for children who grow up in families with addiction. Learn more at HazeldenBettyFord.org and on Twitter.

The Hazelden Betty Ford Children's Program is designed for young people ages seven to 12 who have been affected by addiction in the family. Through age-appropriate activities, stories and sharing led by trained counseling staff, children learn to identify and express their feelings, develop coping and self-care skills, deepen communication with their parent or adult caregiver, and recognize they are not alone in navigating the challenges of growing up with an addicted family member. Just as important, the program provides the opportunity for children to play games, enjoy recreational activities, de-stress and be themselves. Since its inception in 1983 at the Betty Ford Center, the Children's Program has helped thousands of kids and families.

About the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center

Founded in 1986 by Barbara and Frank Sinatra, the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center, located on the internationally acclaimed Eisenhower Medical Center campus in Rancho Mirage, California, is dedicated to ensuring every child's right to a normal, healthy and secure childhood. With worldwide name recognition, the out-patient, state-of-the-art Barbara Sinatra Children's Center stands as a symbol of Barbara and Frank Sinatra's unwavering commitment to children in peril. For more information visit: barbarasinatrachildrenscenter.org.