ABOUT STARS AND STRIDES CHALLENGE TO END HOMELESSNESS CAMPAIGN
Pennsylvania Home of the Sparrow partners with women facing homelessness to secure housing, achieve long- term stability, and chart new paths for their futures. Since our beginning we have served over 4300 women in Chester County. Our services – case management and financial subsidies – help bridge the gap between income and expenses to remove eviction and the trauma of homelessness from the equation. Even seemingly insurmountable obstacles can be tackled when someone is willing to help and support you!
 
Home of the Sparrow invites you to support our women by participating in the Stars & Strides Challenge to End Homelessness. This virtual event provides friends and family with a great reason to exercise, keep healthy, and raise awareness. We need 200 stars to stride a total of 12 million steps (6,000 miles) and raise $125 each. Think of it as “as a marathon in a month” with each person walking or running a minimum of 26.2 miles (63,000 steps)!
 
Participants can chart a new path for their own health and wellness while helping to raise $25,000 for supportive housing services and trauma-informed case management. These funds will help five women and their children remain stably housed for a whole year. Individuals and teams have the month of July to complete their goal. Follow along on social media as we highlight you - our stars - and our women who are working towards financial and housing stability.
 
Register for free as an individual, create your own team, or join a team and watch as our combined strides add up! You can participate from anywhere and we’ll be looking for pictures of you and your pets from the beach, the lake, or the Chester Valley Trail! Tag us and use the hashtag #StarsAndStridesChallenge. With your very your own fundraising page, you can invite friends to donate to help us reach our goal of $25,000!
 
Awards and Prizes:
 
A Home of the Sparrow Pop-Socket for each person who:
  • Raises at least $125 or
  • Logs at least 250,000 steps (~8,000/day)
Special prizes for the top three:
  • Fundraisers
  • Steps/miles logged
 
 
HOW TO START
 
STEP 1: REGISTER for FREE and set up your account anytime between now and July 1. Once you register, you’ll receive a Home of the Sparrow bandanna!
 
STEP 2: RECRUIT friends, family, or colleagues to also register or create a team for them to join.
 
STEP 3: TRACK your “strides,” steps or miles starting July 1. There are three ways to track your progress:
 
  • Download the Charity Footprints App (it’s free!)
  • Sync your fitness devices (Fitness, Apple Watch, Garmin, Google Fit, Misfit, Strava) or use the health app on your phone
  • Manually enter your steps on your Charity Footprints events page
 
STEP 4: SHARE your fundraising page with others so they can support you through donations. Post the link on social media or send it in a text to friends and family. Also, we want to see you in action - post your photos and be sure to tag Home of the Sparrow and include #StarsAndStridesChallenge
 
We also encourage you to post pictures to the Community Scrapbook on the Charity Footprints app or website!
 
Make an Impact
 
Your participation, whether you register, create a team, donate or spread the word, will change lives. Event proceeds will provide:
 
  • Financial empowerment by helping women create and manage viable monthly budgets, increase income, if possible, reduce expenses and debt, increase savings, and improve their credit scores
  • Access to additional program and services to address non-housing needs
  • Help addressing mental health
  • Ongoing support for HOS graduates so they maintain financial and housing security.
 
Contact Us
 
We look forward to having you join us!
 
For more information, please reach out to Ashley Leiss: aleiss@homeofthesparrow.org
 
FITNESS GOAL
COMPLETED: 3,984 miles
TARGET: 6,000 miles
FUNDRAISING GOAL
RAISED: $ 3,413
TARGET: $ 25,000
You must go on adventures to find out where you truly belong. ~ Sue Fitzmaurice
Come join us and leave your footprints around Chester County, PA!
HOW IT WORKS
Register for the campaign and set your fitness & fundraising targets.
Click here to set-up your devices (Fitbit, Garmin, Apple Watch, Google Fit, Misfit, Strava), or download our iOS or Android apps.
Share your story and raise funds & awareness.
Track workouts anywhere & anytime and complete goal.
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
PENNSYLVANIA HOME OF THE SPARROW
Home of the Sparrow partners with women facing homelessness to secure housing, achieve long-term stability, and chart new paths for their futures.

Read more about the organization >>

HOW YOUR PARTICIPATION HELPS
Funds raised will provide housing and supportive services to women and children in Chester County.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Charity Footprints?

Charity Footprints is a social enterprise that connects fitness and charitable giving. We empower people just like you, to get fit & give back.

Our Virtual Races allow non-profits to challenge their patrons to run, walk or ride and raise funds just as they would in a fundraising walkathon. The best part - charities save over 45% in event and logistical costs. So, the dollars that you pay to register or fundraise, go farther.

What is the campaign registration fee?

This campaign is free to participate in.

However, we encourage you to donate optional/suggested amount during registration or you can always donate any amount on your fundraising page after the registration.

How can I create my fundraising page?

Well, you wouldn't have to create a separate fundraising page. Once you register for this campaign, we'll give you the link to your fundraising page.

How will I track my distance?

You can track your workouts by setting up your devices (Fitbit, Garmin, Apple Watch, Google Fit, Misfit, Strava), or download the Charity Footprints' iOS or Android app and track your workouts toward this campaign. ?>

If you workout indoors (treadmill, elliptical, stationary bike etc.), you can upload your workouts here.

How do I join a team on this campaign?

While registering for the campaign, select the team you'd like to join or create a new team and invite others to #GetFitGiveBack with you. If you want to join a team (or create your team) after registration, login to the campaign site and you would find a link to edit "My Team" in the menu under your profile in the header.

I am an international donor (non-US), what are my donation charges and tax-deductibility?

All donations are made in US dollars, so the donations may be levied an exchange rate fee via your bank. Donors will want to connect with their bank to determine exactly what that fee may be. Additionally, international donors will need to reach out to a tax professional to discuss if and how tax deductibility will apply to their donation.

Who can sponsor my fundraising efforts?

The short answer is - everyone. The fundraising research shows that the number one reason for people not donating is that they weren't asked to.

That said, there are things you can do to attract people to sponsor you. Adding a picture to your fundraising page, telling potential donors why this cause is so personal to you, sharing your fundraising page on social media, email, and chat groups.

Last, if your employer has a gift matching program, check with the human resources department to support your favorite cause as well.

Who can I contact if I need help?

You can contact us any time if you need help. We love hearing from our users so please don't hesitate to write to us about issues, suggestions, or to just say hi. You can also contact the non-profit administrator directly if you would like.

How do I change or switch my team?

If you want to join a team (or create your team) after registration, login to the campaign site and you would find a link to edit "My Team" in the menu under your profile in the header.