When Jennifer Hoffrage first started running, it wasn’t love at first stride.

“Different groups of friends kept trying to convince me to start running with them,” she said with a laugh. “I thought it was the most miserable thing ever.”

After years of resisting friendly peer pressure, curiosity got the better of her. Hoffrage decided to see why people were so drawn to running, and something eventually clicked.

“After a couple of years of forcing myself to run, I found out that I really enjoyed it,” she said. “I just kept on going and set different goals for myself, getting better and going longer distances.”

It wasn’t just the miles that kept her going. It was the people.

“The running community here in Memphis is impressive,” Hoffrage said. “Whether you know them or not, they’re going to cheer you on. They really embody what community means.”

That sense of connection soon led her to Youth Villages’ Runners Club, a program engaging youth on our residential campuses in weekly training runs and monthly 5K races.

A mutual friend, who is also a former volunteer, mentioned a staff member known as “Spunky,” who could use donations for the young people at Youth Villages.

“She told me how she used to volunteer there and how he could always use some supplies for the kids,” Hoffrage said. “A lot of my shirts from races I wouldn’t wear, so I’d pack them up and give them to Spunky.”

Those race shirts became prizes for the youth, and that simple act of giving opened the door to something more.

“That’s how I got to know [Spunky] better,” she said. “He mentioned he could use some volunteers, and I said, ‘Hey, I have some time.’”

She started volunteering with the Runners Club this past summer and quickly found it to be one of the most rewarding parts of her week.

Some of the kids now insist she’s their running partner.

“They’ll come up and say, ‘I want to run with you,’ or, ‘You have to walk with me,’” she said. “It’s a lot of fun. You get to let them talk, and you get to be that positive role model to show them people are here to care about them.”

She has helped at the Youth Villages Bartlett and Dogwood campuses. While Hoffrage’s new job means she can’t volunteer as often during the week, she still makes time on Saturdays and for the monthly 5Ks.

“Even if you can’t help every week, just being able to come out and help once in a while, you can still make a difference,” she said. “Whether it’s at Youth Villages or somewhere else, giving your time and talents matters.”

Her love for running continues outside of volunteering, too. She has participated in several races, from 5Ks to half marathons.

But it’s Runners Club that has left the biggest impression.

“This has impacted me as much as I hope it benefits the youth,” she said. “It’s amazing to see those relationships develop.”

Hoffrage says the youth start telling her about their past or asking about her life. One young boy always asks about the animal rescue work Hoffrage does. They talk about everything from school to animals to everyday life.

For Hoffrage, running is more than exercise. It’s community, connection and compassion in motion.

“Because I have a passion for walking, running and being around people, it makes it easy to come out and be part of Youth Villages,” she said. “It really fills you up.”

Interested in making a difference with miles? Join Runners Club today here.

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