Home of Guiding Hands, an organization designed to provide marked community support, critical housing and life skills training for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in San Diego County, will hold its sixth annual Randy Jones Run/Walk for Independence (2K/8K) from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m on Saturday, Feb. 6, at De Anza Cove in Mission Bay Park. Early bird registration is currently open and ends on Friday, Jan. 15 at 10 p.m. To register and for more details on early bird prices, visit HGH.kintera.org/Run/Walk or contact Jessica Brandon at (619) 938-2854 or via [email protected]. Sponsorships are available.
HGH and its annual event aspires to help children, adolescents and adults with special needs thrive in a setting that offers a more fulfilling lifestyle, provides individualized attention, stresses increased opportunities for self-sufficiency and encourages greater community integration and access. Overall, the event is designed to ensure that those with developmental and intellectual disabilities are able to live a life of dignity and purpose and are not limited by what they cannot do but enriched by what they can do.
HGH has provided community support, critical housing and life skills training for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in San Diego County since 1961. It offers services to more than 1,500 county residents.
“This is an underserved population in need of critical funding, and our sixth annual Randy Jones Run/Walk for Independence event helps us give back to a community that needs more recognition, encouragement and support,” said Mark Klaus, president and CEO of Home of Guiding Hands.
Proceeds from the event go directly to HGH to benefit the organization’s current programs: residential homes, community living, early childhood development, life planning and more. After raising nearly $35,000 last year, HGH aims to raise $40,000 at the 2016 event to benefit individuals in San Diego and Imperial counties.
Randy Jones, former San Diego Padre and the event’s namesake, was recently named HGH’s Community Partner of the Year. As a longtime supporter of the organization, Jones has volunteered at and promoted several HGH events, including its annual gala. Meanwhile, the run has raised more than $125,000 for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. A special post-race meet-and- greet with Jones will take place at 11:00 a.m., when he will sign autographs and take pictures.
“I am honored to be named Home of Guiding Hands’ Community Partner of the Year and to take part in the organization’s Run/Walk for Independence for the sixth year,” Jones said. “HGH and its annual event provides a purpose for individuals with special needs and emphasizes what they can do. It is essential to give back to a group of exceptional people that deserve more acknowledgement and funding.”
Run sponsors include Aguirre & Associates, California Bank & Trust, Ledcor Construction Inc., R & S Tax and Financial, St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center, San Diego County Credit Union, San Diego Padres, Sports Authority and TriVant Custom Portfolio Group, LLC.
For more information about HGH, please visit http://www.guidinghands.org or call  (619) 938-2850. Stay connected for up-to-date event details via Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/HomeofGuidingHands).