The Grace Race Fund Inc.

Vision
The Grace Race Fund is a unique non-profit and all-volunteer organization fueled by the desire to greatly improve the lives of Kenyan AIDS orphans. Through partnerships with committed individuals, businesses, and non-profit organizations, we seek to enable orphaned children to achieve the knowledge and skills necessary to grow and develop physically, emotionally, professionally, and spiritually.

Mission Statement
The mission of the Grace Race Fund is to direct our annual fall fund-raising event called The Grace Race. This is a family-oriented community road race and walk in Chelmsford MA. The event’s proceeds flow directly to construction and eventual day-to-day operation of an orphanage and vocational training school being constructed in Naivasha, Kenya. Under the direction of a caring and trained staff of Kenyan adults, the children living in this orphanage will receive proper nourishment, education, encouragement, and practical life-sustaining vocational skills to support their growth into independent and successful adults.

The Need is Great
The country of Kenya has over 1,100,000 orphans (source: World Health Organization) whose parents have died of AIDS and in 2010 the total orphan count accounting for all causes of death (AIDS, malaria, unclean water, etc.) is estimated to reach 1,900,000 (source: UNAIDS “Children on the Brink 2004″ report). The needs of these children are overwhelming; many of them live in extreme poverty. This facility, when completed, will provide children with the care, resources, and instruction they need to live productive lives as adults. To give you some perspective of what is happening on the ground in Naivasha Kenya, we will post messages (letters) from some of the orphans and caretakers.

Our Goal
Our goal for 2010 is to raise $125,000, which is the total cost to furnish the dorms and administrative wing (completing Phase I) and to complete Phase II (construction and equipment for the classrooms and vocational training rooms). The completed facility will provide room and board, education, and vocational training for 100 orphans ranging in age from 5 to 18. Some of these children are currently being cared for in a temporary shelter on the site of the church that we are affiliated with in the town of Naivasha, Kenya; others live with guardians who struggle to provide for the orphans.

Naivasha has a population of about 50,000 and is located in the Rift Valley about 90 minutes northwest of the capital city of Nairobi (See map of Kenya). The town is rich in agricultural resources and an ideal location for the proposed orphanage.

How Are We Doing
Through our annual 5-mile community road race, The Grace Race, we have raised over $150,000 in the six years that we have held the event (see details). During this time the Grace Race Fund has raised funds to pay for;

• A 5-acre plot of land in Naivasha for the buildings and farmland that will comprise the facility
• Borehole drilling for a well on the land and the installation of a well pump
• Fencing material. (In 2007 a team of men and women from the Chelmsford area visited Naivasha to construct a fence around the perimeter of the land, working alongside men and women from Naivasha)
• Electrical infrastructure work on the site
• Construction of the administrative wing (containing staff offices, dining hall, and kitchen) and both boys and girls dormitories (housing up to 100 orphans in total).

Check out our project pictures on Our Sponsors page.

Who is involved
The Grace Race success comes about from the enthusiasm and compassion of individuals and corporations in our community. Over 100 individuals from the Chelmsford and surrounding communities have volunteered their time with the Grace Race. Many, many individuals and local companies have also donated money to the project. Learn more about our leadership team.

How Can You Help
We are asking for help from local corporations and individuals so that we can finish this project and provide a home for these orphans within 4 years.

In 2010, the Grace Race Fund seeks to continue its fund raising efforts and are asking for the generous support of corporations and individuals to help reach this year’s goal of $125,000.

Depending on the degree of support, corporations will be recognized in the following ways:

• Mention of participating corporations by name or logo on the Grace Race website, pomotional materials, press releases and in various ways on the day of the race
• A plaque will be presented to corporations in recognition of thier participation
• The opportunity for all of or some portion of the Orphanage/School to be named after participating corporation

We desire to meet with corporations to discuss this project and describe the various levels that they can support the Grace Race Fund.

As part of our corporate sponsor meeting, we will show the actual blueprints of the project and describe the operational plan in order to instill confidence that every dollar invested in this project will impact the lives of the orphans in a positive and life-changing way.