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Love Without Boundaries (LWB), a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing humanitarian aid to orphaned children in China through a worldwide network of volunteers, is now seeking marathon runners and hopefuls to participate in the 2010 Marine Corps Marathon. The Washington, D.C. event, scheduled for October 31, will help LWB raise money specifically for their growing Healing Homes Program, which cares for some of the most vulnerable orphans in China including those born too early or with a medical need that cannot be met in an orphanage setting.

“LWB helps approximately 1500 orphaned and rural children each year. Our Healing Homes program is for those who might not survive if left in an institutional setting,” says LWB Executive Director Amy Eldridge. “We currently have three Healing Homes (one each in Beijing, Hefei, Anhui and Kaifeng, Henan province.)  We have just begun work on our fourth Healing Home, which will be located in Fuzhou, Fujian province. In 2009, a total of 84 children were helped through this program, from six provinces and 25 orphanages across China.”

Though LWB is headquartered in the United States, Eldridge emphasizes that all of their Healing Homes are run by local Chinese citizens.

“We want these homes to be local projects, so that the community can get behind helping its most vulnerable children. We have no foreigners on the ground in our Anhui or Henan healing homes. They are completely Chinese run,” she says. “LWB provides the funding, accountability, and training help - but local citizens in each city provide the day to day, hands-on work required to change the lives of orphaned children. We want these projects to be true partnerships – with the united goal of saving lives.”

With an average cost per child of approximately $350 per month to provide a safe and secure place to live, all food and medicines, dedicated aunties, and immediate access to medical care, the LWB Foundation looks to events like the Marine Corps Marathon to help them raise much needed funds.

“We would love to have full teams that consist of 50 participants for both the marathon and the 10K,” says LWB Director of Special Events Sandi Glass, a Virginia resident and mother of four children adopted from China. “Our experience is that the runners are very passionate about helping orphaned children in China and often raise more than the required $750. We have raised an average of $25,000 each year in the past.”

Since all general registration slots for the Marine Corps Marathon are already full, running with a charity team is now the only way to register for the event. The LWB charity team offers fundraising help and a webpage for each participant to tell his story and track success. In addition, LWB also offers a 10k team and a Kids Final Mile program.

Glass adds that assistance is also appreciated from those who do not wish to run.

“We need sponsors to help us cover the costs of the team, which include running shirts, goody bags and a post race tent,” she says. “Sponsors donating $500 or more get their names on the back of our runners’ shirts and can insert promotional materials into our bags. We could also use people to help us man our post race celebration tent during the race.  Even just having people spread the word about the need and our event would be great. We would also be happy to accept donations to our runners, who, in addition to training to run 26.2 miles, are also raising funds to help LWB’s Healing Homes.”

Eldridge, who recently returned from a trip to China, explains why the Healing Homes program is both timely and vital in China.

“I think it is important for people to realize that the face of infant abandonment in China has changed dramatically. Most people automatically think that infant baby girls are being abandoned, and that is no longer the case,” she says. “The Chinese government has done a wonderful job with their ‘Girls Count’ campaigns, and the reality is that very few healthy baby girls are placed into the care of orphanages now. Orphanage aunties, who used to be overworked caring for 10-15 healthy infants each, now find themselves faced with the daunting task of caring for 10-15 babies with critical medical needs, ranging from heart defects to cleft lips to spinal tumors and more. It can be quite overwhelming, and they try their very best. But many babies truly struggle without one-on-one care, and those are the babies LWB wants to help. Our Healing Homes provide a safe place for the most fragile babies to heal.” 

For more information on becoming or supporting a LWB Team member, visit www.TeamLWB.com or the event website at www.marinemarathon.com.