Lifestyle

Temeko Richardson runs with passion and purpose to end homelessness

ROLLINGOUT — Temeko Richardson is a running enthusiast with a passion for health and serving others. She is the founder of Run Life’s Course™ where she collaborates with organizations like Back on My Feet to eradicate homelessness through running and fundraising. On Sunday, June 2, 2019, Run Life’s Course and District 6 are teaming up to bring their Hope for the Homeless charity run to Piedmont Park in Atlanta.

Published

7 years ago

June 3, 2019

Cassidy Sparks

By Cassidy Sparks

Temeko Richardson is a running enthusiast with a passion for health and serving others. She is the founder of Run Life’s Course™ where she collaborates with organizations like Back on My Feet to eradicate homelessness through running and fundraising. On Sunday, June 2, 2019, Run Life’s Course and District 6 are teaming up to bring their Hope for the Homeless charity run to Piedmont Park in Atlanta.

Richardson spoke with rolling out about her organization and how she is using running as a tool to serve the community.

Tell us about your organization Run Life’s Course and why you founded it.

I used to run marathons yearly. I found that [in] running long distances there are a lot of stages — from the nervousness, like you’re starting something new [and] you’re never going to achieve the goal, to the stage of having to push yourself through all types of determination and persistence in order to achieve the goal. Through all of those different phases of running the marathon, the idea is basically that you can achieve goals in life if you put your mind to it with prayer, persistence, determination and preparation. So, that’s where that came from.

Tell us a little bit about the Hope for the Homeless Run.

The idea is based on the nonprofit arm of my company. We identify specific charities like Back on My Feet, and we get involved with them. We believe that running is a form of therapy in order for people to overcome challenges. With Hope for the Homeless, we give the proceeds [from] the runs to the organization Back on My Feet because they use running as one of the ways to give hope to individuals who have fallen on hard times and are in a state of homelessness. They have job training as well as other programs, and they find them homes, but they have to run. We have [Atlanta City] Councilwoman Jennifer Ide on board for the District 6, who basically is championing the cause in her district to help eliminate homelessness as well.

Why is the issue of homelessness so important to you?

I think that people have a negative stigma of homelessness, that most people that are homeless are that way because of substance abuse or something that has caused them to be that way. People fail to understand that nowadays a lot of people are just one paycheck away from being on the streets if they haven’t saved the necessary amount for emergency funds and things of that nature. A lot of people are also dealing with things related to relationships like divorce and abusive relationships. With these types of things, we can’t sweep them under the rug. I think that the more that people can help in those particular areas, the better off this country can be.

This article originally appeared in Rollingout.com.

Cassidy Sparks

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Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

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6 days ago

March 22, 2026

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Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

Published

2 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

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