When Andie van der Eerden struggled with anxiety and depression, she found that running significantly improved her mental health.
That realization inspired the Surrey resident to start her own non-profit organization focused on helping people who are living in temporary housing or in recovery 鈥� building strength, courage, and self-esteem through walking and learn-to-run clubs.
Van der Eerden started running at 49 and ran her first half marathon at 50.
"The change in my mental health when I started running was just so tremendous. Just doing this regular physical exercise helps so much with my anxiety and depression. It helped me with regulating my mood," van der Eerden said.
At the same time she started running, she began volunteering at a non-profit that helps unhoused individuals in Whalley.
Van der Eerden felt something was missing in the care they were receiving. These organizations are doing "vital work," but there seemed to be a gap.
"I've been doing this (volunteering) for six years and I just really felt, I just don't see anybody getting any better, and there's no empowerment, and I just thought, you know, I just became so much stronger and more confident and felt more like myself when I started running," van der Eerden said.
That's when the Running on Faith Project was born.
The non-profit holds several weekly walking and learn-to-run clubs and partners with organizations like Surrey Urban Mission Society and Wagner Hills Farm Society, a recovery centre in 91原创. The clubs give participants something to work towards.
"It's not just the exercise; it's the connection," van der Eerden said.
One participant said, "The Running on Faith Project has given me something to look forward to every day. I like that the walks give us an opportunity to exercise and talk."
"Everything has changed for me since I started the running club," another participant said. "I was living a very destructive lifestyle in January and now I'm running five kilometres three days a week. I'm still amazed that I鈥檓 actually running. My mind and body and soul have all drastically improved. My energy level is through the roof! My mind has slowed so much that I feel at peace."
Van der Eerden works hard to ensure that every participant has a good pair of running shoes before their start.
Several retail stores, such as the Running Room, Fit First Footwear, and Sports Chek, have donated new shoes to the program participants. Van der Eerden said she often has people who want to donate their used running shoes to the program, but for a number of reasons, she only accepts new or barely used ones.
"What I really am looking for is to honour these men and women who are training; they need new shoes."
"Shoes not just to prevent injury, because a used pair of shoes is inot going to do as well when you're training and running long distance, but also it just makes you feel valued having a new pair of shoes when you're working so hard at your recovery and at something challenging like this, it feels good to know that someone is giving you a new pair of shoes," she said.
The next big goal for some of the participants is Vancouver's Sun Run.
"I've got 20 gentlemen that are in recovery, that are working towards running the 10 km Sun Run with me on April 27, and we are training 6 a.m. three days a week," van der Eerden said.
Those interested can sponsor a runner by visiting .
Van der Eerden was recently awarded the Government of Canada's Volunteer of the Year 2024 in the Social Innovator category for B.C. and the North.
