Continuing with our fall race features, in this edition of the Terra blog we are thrilled to highlight Run for Their Freedom 5k, benefitting the fantastic local non-profit Willowbend Farms. To get us up to speed on all things Run for Their Freedom, we caught up with Kristina Higgins, the Survivor Care Coordinator at Willowbend Farms. Kristina is the race director, along with Willowbend’s CEO Sarah McKinnis. Read on to learn more about a race that has quickly become a Cleveland fall classic.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got involved with WillowBend Farms? 

I started with WillowBend Farms as survivor care coordinator in October of 2020, after a 11 year career in nonprofit public relations/marketing. It was a big switch. Stereotypical as it sounds, I wanted to help those who needed help most and make a difference with actual hands on work, rather than doing it all in a sanitized way behind a desk. In the spring of 2023, I became the administrative director. In this position, I work directly with our CEO to implement policy, oversee day-to-day functioning, and tackle whatever challenges the day brings. I also get to do fun things like plan our annual conference and Run For Their Freedom!

For those who don't know, can you tell us about WillowBend Farms? What do you all do and how does that impact people in our area?

We are a nonprofit organization based here in the local community, but reaching 27 counties throughout our region. We serve survivors of human trafficking through restoration efforts like our two year residential and vocational programs, through connection with services and help reaching goals, and through our emergency response center. Another of our initiatives is prevention, awareness, and education. We provide trainings at no cost to agencies, schools, churches, businesses - anyone who wants to know more about what human trafficking is and what they can do to prevent it. This is just a small summary of all we do! Last year we served 221 survivors and trained over 8,000 people, and we are on pace to increase both of those numbers this year.

When I think of fall races in Cleveland I think of Run for Their Freedom. Can you tell us about the race? How did it come about and how does it benefit the work you all do?

Run For Their Freedom serves a dual purpose. It is our primary annual fundraiser, with all contributions going straight back to survivor restoration. Our fundraising goal of $50,000 covers a survivor's full participation in our two year holistic residential program. The other important purpose for this race is that it brings together the community in order to bring awareness to the reality of human trafficking in Cleveland, and to honor survivors and those we've lost to modern day slavery. We also love to just join with everyone and have a fun night.

We started this with a group of Lee students tasked with developing a public relations campaign for WBF. That was in 2018 and we've been going every year since!

What should runners expect on race day? Where is the race, when does it start, and is there anything else unique about it? 

The race begins by the yellow chair at the Greenway on October 19 at 6:30 pm. We have a 1 mile walk option for those who want to participate but aren't interested in running the 5k. The cool thing about the event is that it's not just a race; it's also a community festival with something for everyone. We will have food trucks, coffee, great music, vendors, games, and so much more. The weather is usually perfect and it's a fun time for families and the whole community to come out and enjoy the evening. Everyone will want to stick around after the race to participate in our powerful candlelight ceremony and worship. 

Anything else you would like to share? 

We hope everyone registers for the race and comes out on October 19 for a great night. The funds raised truly make a huge difference for survivors, and the awareness built impacts prevention efforts within our community. It takes all of us together to do the work!

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The race takes place at 6:30 in the evening, Friday October 19th, in Greenway Park. For more information, visit the event page on Willowbend Farms website. Runners can also learn more about the work and mission of Willowbend Farms by visiting willowbendfarms.org. Be sure to also check out their curated shop in downtown Cleveland at 95 2nd Street NE, Cleveland TN 37311.