Foster 5K Marks 10 Years Helping South Bay

Child Advocates of Silicon Valley is using its 10th annual Foster5K to raise money for foster youth services in Santa Clara County before the May 17 race in San Jose. (mercurynews.com) (foster5k.org) The event is scheduled for Martial Cottle Park at 5283 Snell Ave., with the 5K starting at 9 a.m. and the Kids Dash at 10 a.m. Rubrik is listed as the presenting sponsor. (foster5k.org) Organizers say the race raises both money and visibility for children in the county’s dependency court system, who have entered foster care after abuse, neglect or abandonment. Child Advocates serves youth from birth to 21. (mercurynews.com) (childadvocatessv.org) The nonprofit’s core model is the Court Appointed Special Advocate, or CASA: a trained volunteer assigned to one child to monitor the case, speak up in court and help connect that young person to school, health and other services. Child Advocates says it is the only CASA program in Santa Clara County. (childadvocatessv.org) (elcaminohealth.org) That mission is colliding with a tougher funding climate. The Foster5K site says the 2026 race comes amid a “critical funding crisis,” and participation helps keep advocates available for foster youth who have experienced trauma. (foster5k.org) The local need is also moving in the wrong direction. Child Advocates reported that children entering foster care in Santa Clara County had been rising since November 2023, reversing an earlier decline. (childadvocatessv.org) (issuu.com) The organization says it expects to serve about 840 of Santa Clara County’s foster children this year, a sign of both the scale of the system and the gap that remains for youth still waiting for stable adult support. (us.commitchange.com) The race itself is built to pull in families as well as runners. The 5K is chip-timed, the Big Kids Dash covers 700 meters for ages 6 to 10, and the Little Kids Dash is 250 meters for children 5 and under. (foster5k.org 1) (foster5k.org 2) Registration also reflects that broader pitch: the site lists a $45 group rate for teams of 10 or more, a $25 Big Kids Dash entry fee, and free entry for the Little Kids Dash if families register in advance. (foster5k.org) Ten years in, the event is still selling the same idea with more urgency: turn a community fun run into a funding stream for children who need one adult to keep showing up. (mercurynews.com) (foster5k.org)