http://www.mileinmyshoes.mn/, http://givemn.org/organization/mile-in-my-shoes

Mile in My Shoes, 355 Randolph Avenue Suite 200, Minneapolis, MN (2026)

08/22/2026

Add more meaning to your miles on TCM Weekend by joining our team of over 30 FundRacers!

Letty and Ava are FundRacing for MiMS because they’ve seen our impact firsthand. Letty works with our facility partner, Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities, and serves as a Run Mentor on Team UGMTC. Ava volunteers with another partner, Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge. Through their work with our Members, they’ve seen the transformative power of this community and are inspired to support it as FundRacers. We’d love for you to join them!

We have charity bibs for the TC Marathon, 10 Mile, Half Marathon For More, 10K and 5K! Our FundRacers get free guaranteed entry by raising vital funds for MiMS Members experiencing homelessness, in recovery, or exiting incarceration. All dollars go directly to running gear, incentives, race entries, and programming for our teams. Feel the support from your friends/family as you raise money for a cause that's important to you. Score tons of goodies - including a 15% discount at Mill City Running and exculsive MiMS swag.

Spots on our team are filling fast - don't miss out! Sign up at link in bio.

Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities Mn Adult & Teen Challenge Twin Cities In Motion

08/15/2026

There's momentum growing as MiMS Teams head into the second half of our 2026 season. Members are setting goals and showing up through tough transitions, long days, and hard runs. They do it with a community beside them, because at Mile in My Shoes, no one runs alone.

One Team Challenge Resident Member, Andi, recently captured what so many are discovering this season: “I am working through a lot of past trauma. Many of us are. And before being here, I felt really alone. This is showing me I can do something hard, get through it, and feel better about myself on the other side. And, I’m not alone. I have people in my corner encouraging me to keep going.”

Andi is one of 163 Resident Members we have welcomed to run their first mile in 2026. At midseason, more than 72 Members have earned their 10-run shirts, 42 have earned 20-run Alumni shirts and GPS watches, and 10 Members have reached 30 runs. 66 Members completed the Run More, Judge Less 5K/1M and all Members, including those who've joined since, will have a chance to run a 5K/10K at Woozapalooza on August 29th.

Your support makes this experience possible - thank you!

You can make a one-time or sustaining donation to keep fueling our Member's ambitions one mile at a time: www.mileinmyshoes.mn/donate

08/11/2026

(Part 3/3) When we asked Lisa what brought her to Mile in My Shoes, one person immediately came to mind: MiMS Alumni Member Matt Powers, who she met living in Rochester through mutual friends. “He didn’t just ask me if I wanted to join, he told me that I was going to.”

While Lisa was in prison, Matt stayed in touch, and one of the things he kept talking to her about was MiMS. He was excited for her to look us up and join when she came home, telling her over and over, “It’ll change your life.”

Matt passed away a few weeks ago, and hearing Lisa tell this story feels especially meaningful now. Matt found something in MiMS that mattered deeply to him, and he wanted Lisa to find that too. Matt knew Lisa belonged at MiMS, and his encouragement led her to Team Roseville.

Since then, Lisa has made her own place on the team. She shows up and challenges herself, even when she’s unsure she can do it. But time and again, she proves to herself she can. This fall, Lisa will line up for the Twin Cities In Motion TC 10 Mile alongside thousands of other runners, with her daughter and dad taking on the marathon that same weekend.

Starting with Lisa’s family, and with Matt, who believed in Lisa, in what she could do and what she could bring to MiMS, there have been people believing in her every step of the way. And somewhere along the way, Lisa has started believing in herself too. We can’t wait to cheer her on TCM weekend!

Photos: Lisa & Matt, Lisa with Dad David and Daughter Morgan.

08/11/2026

(Part 2/3) At first, Lisa didn’t consider the TC 10 Mile an option. That changed on a run with Run Mentor Leila. “She convinced me I could do it. She explained how there are all kinds of people that run it at all kinds of paces, and that I wouldn’t ever be alone on the course or be the last runner in.”

Each 10 mile training run is the longest Lisa has ever run. As she progresses, she is starting to feel more confident. “I ran the 5 miles with (Team Roseville Team Leader) Dee and she said some motivating things to help me keep going. It was sincere and I could tell she was saying it because she believed in me.”

Those miles have made an impact on Dee too.

“Lisa has been a steady presence on Team Roseville since she joined! She has a quiet determination that helps her push through challenging runs especially as she builds her endurance for TC 10 mile. Regardless of the challenges, she keeps a smile on her face and often speaks proudly of her dad and daughter who are also runners. I feel grateful to share miles with Lisa - she inspires me to keep moving forward!”

(Continued next post)

Photos: Lisa with teammate Kristi at RMJL races, Lisa earning her 10 run blue shirt.

08/11/2026

(Part 1/3) When Team Roseville Member Lisa joined Mile in My Shoes, she wasn’t too sure about the whole running thing. “It was hard! But I stuck with it because I enjoyed the companionship and community. My dad was a runner, and he told me that if you can’t hold a conversation if you’re running too fast. Running with others and having a conversation makes it feel so much easier.”

Running fell more into place for her at the Run More, Judge Less races where she completed her first 5K with MiMS. “I ran the whole thing without stopping, even in the rain. I wasn’t sure if I could do it but I did.” Soon after, the team began talking about the option to train for the Twin Cities In Motion TC 10 Mile, and Lisa was the first to sign-up. But for Lisa, this race is about more than tackling a new distance.

Running has become a point of belonging for Lisa. Lisa’s path to MiMS came during a time of rebuilding. After the death of her son, substance use became a way to cope and she found herself incarcerated. Today, Lisa is in recovery and building a life back in the community. She started running with MiMS this spring after her release. Through running, she has found both a new community and a new way to connect with her family. Outside of MiMS, Lisa’s from a family of runners. Her daughter will be running her first marathon at TCM weekend, and her dad came out of marathon retirement to join his granddaughter for his 64th(!) marathon. For Lisa, joining them on race day to run the TC 10 mile has helped them build connection. “We track each other on Strava for encouragement and it helps me feel closer to them!”

(Continued next post)

Photos: Lisa with pacer Jill at RMJL races (credit Carly Danek , Lisa & Dad David, Lisa & Daughter Morgan.

08/07/2026

✨ Team Challenge Spotlight | Dina’s Story
At Mile in My Shoes, Resident Members and Run Mentors run side by side, transforming themselves, one another, and our communities. Today, we’re highlighting three incredible women whose stories capture exactly what that looks like.
Dina is both a graduate of Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge and a Mile in My Shoes Alumni. She first joined MiMS looking for accountability to stay active and continue building healthy routines. What she found was so much more.
“These ladies that come out to every run, they keep me going. Everyone is so supportive and meets me where I’m at that day. There’s no judgment, just accountability to show up for myself and everyone else.”
What started as a way to stay active became a community of women who celebrated every milestone, encouraged her through difficult days, and reminded her she never had to do it alone. Week after week, her Run Mentors showed up, not just to run beside her, but to listen, cheer her on, and believe in her. Those relationships became an important part of her recovery journey, giving her confidence, connection, and a place where she felt supported every step of the way.
Dina’s story is a reminder that Mile in My Shoes is about far more than running. It’s about the people who choose to show up for one another.

08/07/2026

✨ Team Challenge Spotlight | The Mentors Behind the Miles
This season, two Team Challenge mentors have gone above and beyond for their team.
Caitlin, who joined Team Challenge last fall, secured a $2,500 grant from the Osaic Foundation to support her team.
“I have learned so much from these women,” she shared. “I love getting to see them every week.”
Andrea also secured a $2,500 grant from Thomson Reuters, helping provide gear, race entries, training, and workshops for Team Challenge.
“This is my second season as a Mile in My Shoes Run Mentor, and the experience continues to inspire me,” Andrea said. “Seeing mentees gain confidence, overcome challenges, and achieve goals they once thought were beyond their reach is a powerful reminder of the impact community can have. Every meetup leaves me energized and grateful to be part of something that changes lives—one Woo at a time.”
Dina (featured in the last post) found the support she needed. Caitlin and Andrea found meaningful ways to give back. Together, they represent what makes Mile in My Shoes so special: people showing up for each other, one run at a time.
Thank you to the Osaic Foundation and Thomson Reuters for investing in our teams and helping make this work possible.

08/06/2026

After an evening of running Como Relays yesterday, Team Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities gathered this morning for a yoga session with Karuna Community MN to give our bodies space to recover and enjoy a new kind of movement.

When asked to share one word on how they felt about the session, Members shared they felt “confident,” “balanced,” “relaxed,” and “joyful.”

We are grateful for our friends at Karuna Community MN who help us create opportunities to explore different ways of caring for our bodies and minds.

07/31/2026

Run City of Lakes 13.1 or TCM Weekend for MiMS!

07/15/2026

(Post 3/3)
Ask Deo what has meant the most to him at MiMS, and his answer comes quickly.

"The people," he says. "Everyone is very encouraging. You receive love, even from other Members. That energy stays with you and helps establish your day. You're running with people, but they're giving you a piece of their day. It’s about running, but it is also much bigger than that."

Those relationships have helped fuel goals that extend well beyond running. Deo was previously introduced to electrical training through Ujamaa Place where he discovered a fascination with energy. "I love electricity," Deo says. "The relationship between positive and negative energy. Energy can't be created or destroyed, only transformed. That has been a metaphor for me and my own life.”

He's now developing a personal venture called Oryg-n, an idea he describes as a self-sustaining entity designed to help people manage factors of production. He's in the process of writing his first manuscript for this project. He also has plans to return to school to obtain a degree in electrical engineering. For running goals, Deo has begun training for a half marathon and plans to run Run Minnesota 's City of Lakes Half this year; he will be one of the first half marathoners from Team UGMTC!

When asked what he's most proud of since joining MiMS, Deo's answer comes back to the habits he's built.
"My runs," he says. "Waking up and pushing through. Being part of something bigger." Showing up for himself, encouraging his teammates, and finding community week after week, has kept him coming back.

"MiMS is a huge part of who I am becoming."

Mile in My Shoes

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