She’s a force, this friend of mine. She’s got grit, faith and compassion in spades. Kelly Preston has superhero status in the adoption community. Not because of her ninja organizational skills, big vision, or powerful leadership. Not because she and her husband started the Race for the Orphans 5K to raise money for adoptive families and also host a Rest for the Moms retreat. Nope, it’s because she does it all with great humility. She’s a true cheerleader and champion of adoptive families.
She’s an adoptive mom, one of my people. Like many of us, travelling to China to adopt her daughter changed the trajectory of her life. Kelly Preston came back with a fire in heart and a prayer on her lips to serve adoptive families. And now, her big humble heart is making waves of change. I’m honored to call her friend and to help cheer on her work.
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Tell us about your passion/work:
RACE for the Orphans, Inc., is a non-profit organization that my husband and I started while we were in the process of adopting our daughter from China in 2013. We combined our passion for running with our passion for adoption to create a non-profit that focuses on raising money for local adoptive families through an annual 5K held in Newnan, GA each May. This May 4, 2019 will be the 7th Annual RACE and more than $135,000 has been raised over the course of the past six 5K events to support families adopting both internationally and domestically. The mission is Raising Awareness, Compassion, and Education (RACE) about the needs of orphans around the world.
In addition to the annual RACE, our non-profit hosts an annual retreat for adoptive and foster moms called REST for the Moms. REST stands for Renewal, Encouragement, Spiritual Growth and Togetherness. Each retreat is a special time for adoptive and foster moms to take time for themselves to worship, be pampered, be loved on, be encouraged, be fed spiritually, and experience REST.
Children Impacted by Race for the Orphans Grants
What is your why? Why are you doing this?
My why is the fact that there are 150+ million orphans worldwide that need loving, forever families. Many people want to adopt but limited finances are often a deterrent. The RACE is a way for to encourage the ministry of adoption and help decrease the financial burden faced by families who desire to adopt.
My why is also to support moms who are in the trenches of loving children from hard places. We as moms are often the worst at taking care of ourselves, so the REST Retreat is held with the primary goal of ministering to moms in a way that they can leave feeling refreshed, renewed, and rested in order to be the moms that God has called them to be.
How has this impacted your family?
Our entire family is involved with the ministry of RACE for the Orphans. In fact, our children get so excited during the weeks leading up to the actual RACE, it’s almost like Christmas in May! We keep our children updated on all the families that the RACE grant supports each year, and we pray for those families. Our children have a greater understanding of adoption and how the ministry of the RACE helps lessen the financial burden associated with adoption.
What motivates you to continue?
God’s call and the children and their families. It brings me so much joy watching children come home to their forever families, and every family has said that the money provided by the RACE grant made a huge impact on their ability to adopt. I cry every year on RACE day as I watch hundreds and hundreds of people of all ages and abilities run or walk with the sole purpose of raising money so children can be united with their forever families. It is a glorious thing to see God’s people caring about His children!
What are your dreams for how this will evolve?
In a perfect world there would be no orphans and no need for families to adopt, but until that day comes, I dream that one day our children will carry on the ministry of the RACE. I would also love to see the RACE take place in other towns/cities if the Lord would have that happen. I also pray that the mission or Raising Awareness, Compassion and Education about the needs of orphans around the world makes an impact on our community…that more families will feel called to adopt and that everyone will make an effort to do something to heed the command of James 1:27, to care for orphans…even if it’s running a 5K once a year!
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What did I tell ya? She’s a force, and she’s surrounded herself with the most incredible teams for these events. Plan to throw on some kicks and join her for the incredible Race for Orphans in May in Newman, Georgia. Add your name to the mailing list to get updates. Adoptive moms, follow the Rest for Adoptive and Foster Moms on Facebook to stay up to date on next year’s retreat.