Atlanta Mission’s 5K Race to End Homelessness returns to downtown with in-person and virtual options
A winter fundraiser built around a certified course and a downtown start
The Atlanta Mission’s 5K Race to End Homelessness is set for Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, with an in-person start at 8:30 a.m. at Pemberton Place Greenspace near downtown Atlanta. The event also offers virtual participation, allowing runners and walkers to complete the distance off-site within a designated reporting window.
Organizers have structured the event as a fundraising race tied directly to emergency support: the registration fee is designated to cover one night of shelter and related services for a person who would otherwise spend the night unsheltered during the winter season.
Race logistics: qualifying status, timing, and accessibility
The in-person course is USATF certified (GA17079WC) and is listed as a qualifying event for the 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race, with qualification available only to timed, in-person participants. Chip timing is planned for the in-person field, and a wheelchair division is scheduled to start five minutes before the main start, at 8:25 a.m., as a safety measure.
An awards ceremony is scheduled after the finish, with overall awards based on gun time and age-group awards based on chip time. Organizers have also indicated the event will not provide finisher medals by default, citing a cost-saving approach; participants may add a medal during registration for an additional fee.
In-person start: 8:30 a.m., Feb. 14, 2026 (wheelchair start: 8:25 a.m.)
Location: Pemberton Place Greenspace
Course: USATF certified; chip-timed for in-person participants
Status: designated Peachtree Road Race qualifier for eligible runners
How the race connects to Atlanta’s homelessness response
The Atlanta Mission identifies itself as the city’s largest and longest-running provider of services for people experiencing homelessness, operating multiple shelter campuses in Metro Atlanta and Northeast Georgia. The organization’s services include emergency shelter, meals, and other support programs, and the race is positioned as one mechanism to help fund winter operations.
The event arrives as Atlanta continues broader efforts to reduce unsheltered homelessness through coordinated housing initiatives. Partners for HOME, which coordinates the City of Atlanta’s homelessness response, describes Atlanta Rising as a $212 million, long-term effort intended to scale housing and support systems to end unsheltered homelessness citywide. In late 2025, the organization reported progress toward a goal of housing 400 people by the end of the year, as part of that initiative.
For participants, the 5K functions as both a road race and a winter support fundraiser, with proceeds tied to a defined unit of emergency shelter and services.
Participation options and contingency planning
Organizers expect heavy traffic near nearby attractions and have encouraged alternatives such as carpooling and transit. The race does not plan to provide bag drop. A water station is planned on the course between miles two and three, with water also available post-race.
Organizers have stated the event may be altered or canceled under extreme weather conditions, with a final decision made close to the scheduled start time. Virtual participants can submit results through the event’s reporting portal during the stated window.