RIDGELAND, Miss.–A 5K for the Fatherless is set for Saturday in Ridgeland and the aim is to raise money to help parents adopt Mississippi kids. The event is headed up by 200 Million Flowers, a non-profit adoption agency that partners with the Miss. Dept. of Human Service.
The group was founded by attorney Craig Robertson and his wife Rachael. They got their adoption agency license in 2012, according to their website www.200millionflowers.org .
Craig said the mission Saturday is two-fold.
“One is to create and further our online gallery, which is promoting older children for adoption in Mississippi,” he said. “In Mississippi we have about 4,000 kids in foster care and many of those kids are legally free for adoption and have not been placed with a family.”
Another part of the mission is to support the birth moms, or women in crisis pregnancy who need a helping hand. Robertson pointed out that Mississippi has the highest teen birth rate in the country at over 17,000 per year.
“We are raiding funds to support those birth moms who are choosing life through adoption.”
He said the organization was formed out of a Christian calling.
“All Christians are called to care for orphans. We have that call through James 1:27.”
The 5K is a running event that drew 300 participants last year. Registration is at 7, with the race at 8:15. There will be cash prizes for winners.
Last year’s race raised $25,000 and Robertson said he hopes this year’s event will top that. The weather looks cooperative.
