On December 4, I will be running in this year’s Hot Chocolate Run—the same event where I ran my first 5K last year! (The photo on this page is of me with friends, family and the Hot Chocolate Run polar bear after the run.) Even before my first race, the Hot Chocolate Run was an important annual event for my family—together, we've collected an embarrassing number of mugs from participating in the family walk year after year. This great event raises funds for Safe Passage, an organization in Northampton, MA that provides comprehensive, free services to women and children who have experienced domestic violence. As a survivor of domestic violence, this is a cause that is very important to me and one I am proud to support.  (You can read more about my experience with the race in my column at http://www.therainbowtimesmass.com/2011/12012011/transman.html----but first, keep reading here!)

I hope you’ll make a donation and help me meet my fundraising goal. Safe Passage relies on support from people like us to fund their services, which include an emergency shelter program, individual counseling and support groups, legal services, a 24-hour hotline and more. Here are some examples of what these services cost:

$20: Emergency funds for a woman to purchase groceries or diapers
$45: A one-hour counseling session for a woman seeking help for the first time
$80: One weekly drop-in group session for survivors of domestic violence
$100: An hour of ASL interpreting for a deaf survivor's counseling session
$135: Three sessions for children who have witnessed domestic violence
$500: A month of on-call advocacy for victims of domestic violence police calls

All contributions are tax-deductible, and you’ll receive an emailed receipt immediately after you donate.

Thank you so much for your support!  If you want to register for the event or learn more about it, visit http://hotchocolaterun.com.