AUSTIN, Texas — Thousands of runners and families will lace up their sneakers on Thanksgiving morning as ThunderCloud Subs prepares to host its 36th annual Turkey Trot, a community tradition dedicated to raising money and awareness for Caritas of Austin.
The event kicks off outside the Long Center on Thanksgiving Thursday, featuring a 5-mile timed run, an untimed run, a 1-mile walk, and a Stepping Stone School Kids K. All proceeds from the race directly fund the operations of Caritas of Austin, which provides housing, food, job placement assistance, and counseling to individuals experiencing homelessness. Last year, the event drew approximately 26,000 participants and raised $615,000 for the organization.
Mike Haggerty, co-owner of the local sub chain for five decades, spoke with host Brian Fitzgerald on Inside Austin, emphasizing that giving back to the local area remains deeply embedded in the company's core mission.
"Being a part of that community and giving back to the community is kind of our corporate genetic structure," Haggerty said. "Having fun doing good is a prescription for happiness."
Haggerty praised Caritas of Austin for its individualized, multi-layered approach to addressing homelessness, noting that the organization achieves more than a 90% success rate in keeping clients permanently housed.
"Every individual finds themselves unhoused for various reasons, and it's unique to that individual," Haggerty said. "There's not a cookie-cutter solution to the problem. Caritas does a wonderful job of really getting to know the individual and understanding which steps to take first."
The event, which began in the early 1990s with just a few hundred participants raising $5,000, has expanded into a multi-generational tradition with both in-person and virtual options for participants who wish to run from their own neighborhoods. Haggerty credited both community runners and loyal corporate sponsors for sustaining the event's momentum over more than three decades.
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INSIDE AUSTIN AIRS EVERY SUNDAY MORNING AT 6 a.m.
