MORRISTOWN, Tenn. — Before the sun rose in Morristown, Mark Trout was lacing up his shoes to support children without a home. He was running to raise money for the Isaiah 117 House, which gives children a place to stay while they go through the foster care system.
"If you have a generation of children that believe that they are not wanted, and they are not loved — you have a pretty hopeless generation," said Ronda Paulson, who runs the nonprofit. "They enter with one shoe or a diaper."
She said she first saw what children had to go through in the foster care system when she became a foster parent. She said that she saw children entered with nothing, and decided to start the Isaiah 117 House nonprofit around 5 years ago to help them.
Trout is helping them in his own way. He decided to walk 52 miles in one day, raising attention and money to help the organization which helps children.
"They do so much work, so much behind the scenes. They don't ask for any glory. They just do it for the children, and it's just touched me and I want o do something to give back," he said.
He said he aimed to raise $25,000 and then match it with corporate donations. The money would help houses in Anderson, Blount, Hamblen, Jefferson and Knox counties.
"Now is the time. We are in a crisis mode and we need the church, we need the community and we need locals just like Mark," said Paulson.
Anyone who wants to donate to the Isaiah 117 House can donate online.
Mark Trout successfully walked from Rusty Wallace Toyota to Rusy Wallace Chevrolet in Clinton, according to the Anderson County Sheriff's Office. The Isaiah 117 House said he took 117,000 steps.