This year, International Community Health Services (ICHS) is hosting its annual Lunar New Year 5K Benefit on February 25, 2024, at the Shoreline Interurban Trail in celebration of the year of the dragon. The Lunar New Year 5K Benefit is an annual fundraising event for ICHS to provide comprehensive healthcare services to people who are uninsured or unable to pay for healthcare. In past years, it has not only funded patients to receive the care they need, but has also been a fun event for the community to come out and support ICHS and the patients it serves.

ICHS was founded 50 years ago by the Asian Pacific Islander community to address barriers to healthcare such as language and financial barriers. The Lunar New Year 5K Benefit] is a fun and healthy opportunity to celebrate and honor the organizations’ roots in the API community, says Alice Braverman, Executive Director of the ICHS Foundation, which secures donations that support ICHS programs and services.

This year, the ICHS Foundation hopes to raise $50,000 to provide fully-compensated care to people who are uninsured or lack access to their health care services. This funding would go towards providing primary care, behavioral health care, vision care, dental care, nutrition counseling, as well as towards ICHS’ medical van and dental van which directly provide care for patients who face transportation barriers.

The Lunar New Year 5k Benefit  is open for registration for people of all ages and abilities. While virtual registration online through the ICHS website has closed, late registration is available through the same link up until the morning of the race. Registration fees vary based on age, and is free for children 10 years old or younger and for those 65 and older.

“We have serious runners, we have walkers, we have families with children and dogs,” Braverman said. “So all abilities and strengths are welcome to participate, and we hope that runners will have a great time and will also feel good about their support for ICHS.”

The ICHS Foundation organized its first Lunar New Year 5K Benefit on February 7, 2016 at the Mercer Slough Nature Park in Bellevue. The event started as an opportunity for Bellevue residents to connect with ICHS and its mission. ICHS had opened up ICHS Bellevue Medical & Dental Clinic in Bellevue’s Crossroads neighborhood in early-2014. The 5K moved to Shoreline in 2018 to its current route along the Interurban Trail, to connect with Shoreline residents where ICHS’ newest Shoreline Medical & Dental Clinic opened in late-2014. Today, ICHS serves 30,000 patients in 70 languages across 10 sites in King County. The Shoreline clinic serves over 6,000 patients with medical, dental, behavioral health, and a whole range of other medical services.

Currently, the event is expected to have over 500 runners and walkers. Participants can also take action virtually rather than in person, and ICHS also invites those who can’t participate in person but want to support ICHS to donate or become a fundraiser at their website. They thank their business sponsors, and express gratitude to Amerigroup, CHPW, Deloitte, East West Bank, Umpqua Bank, Linda Chew Burt, MarPac, Molina, NW Tech, Wells Fargo, and Coordinated Care for generously sponsoring this year’s event.

“We represent health equity and access to healthcare in the King County community,” Braverman said. “And a 5K is a great way to get outside, be healthy, and celebrate [the Lunar New Year] on behalf of ICHS and its patients.”

The Lunar New Year 5K Benefit will be on February 25, 2024, at the Shoreline Interurban Trail. The event will begin at Shoreline City Hall 17500 Midvale Ave N, Shoreline, WA 98133.

Find out more about the Lunar New Year 5K Benefit on the ICHS website, or register to participate virtually or in person in the 5K online through the ICHS website. To support ICHS without participating in the 5K, donate or become a fundraiser.