Run for the Girls 5K Run - 5K Walk - Virtual Event

Run for the Girls 5K Run - 5K Walk - Virtual Event

Date: June 6, 2026

Location: Fort Smith, AR

More Information: Visit our website

Event Details

Stay tuned for more information regarding the event location and details!

Fundraiser Description

"Run for the Girls" is a fundraiser for the

Girls Shelter of Fort Smith, Inc.

Where sheltering is just the beginning.

Race Highlights

• Chip-Timed: USATF Certified 5K Course. All age groups welcome.
• T-shirts: Available for entrants registered before May 24, 2026.

About Us

The Girls Shelter of Fort Smith - A United Way Community Partner - opened in 1970 as a temporary emergency shelter. Since then, the Shelter has developed and grown into a long-term residential treatment facility. In April 2002, a new 7,000 square-foot facility was built on a two-acre lot at South 26th and Quincy. The shelter is licensed for eight girls, ages 12 – 17 years old.

• Training: Taught social and independent living skills.
• Empowerment: Given a sense of self-worth and taught to be responsible for their actions and decisions.
• Job Skills: Taught job skills and money management by working summer jobs.
• Education: Required to attend and take an active part in school.

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide a safe and encouraging atmosphere in a residential setting for at-risk females aged 12 – 17 years: to promote positive behaviors, character enhancement, educational advancement, and to reunite with family.

• Support: Many of our residents have faced challenges such as physical and sexual abuse.
• Skills Development: We teach personal responsibility, independent living skills, and positive social skills.
• Counseling: We provide case management and individual and family counseling.
• Safe Environment: We offer a safe home environment, food, transportation, personal items, and clothing.

Commitment

As one Board member put it, “we have one year to pour all the good into them we can possibly give them.”