Event Description

Glow the Distance for MATS 5K Run and Walk 

Funds raised from this event will go to the Ministerial Association Temporary Shelter (MATS) to help with daily costs of operation.

The race will take place in downtown Morristown on mainly flat terrain. This will be a night race, and we are encouraging racers to wear anything and everything that glows--the brighter, the better! Prizes will be awarded for best outfits.

MATS is a self-sufficiency program for the homeless, serving Hamblen County and nine surrounding counties. We are the only shelter serving many of these counties and offering a full-service program focused on helping homeless individuals overcome their homelessness.

Our program focuses on the root issues that have led to homelessness and provides resources for individuals to address those issues. Residents are required to find a job that provides sustainable income, create and maintain budgets, and save money while they are in the program. They also do their own laundry, cleaning, and cooking while staying at the shelter.

We also offer a warming station for individuals who are not yet ready to enter the program during the winter months on nights when the temperature drops below freezing.

MATS relies on the donations of generous individuals, businesses, and churches in the area to keep up with operation costs, including electricity, water, cleaning supplies, food, payroll for staff, building payments and upkeep, and many other expenses.