Peace Runners 773 in Garfield Park unites community through holistic wellness
CHICAGO (CBS) -- On the West Side, one man is on a mission to bring people together through holistic wellness.
That includes mental and physical health.
CBS 2's Jackie Kostek joined the group as they headed out on a weekly run in the neighborhood.
The group met early Friday morning and got in some warmups before heading out for an eight-mile run around Garfield Park.
Jackie Hoffman who started Peace Runners 773 a couple of years ago says it's going to be amazing as eight of the between 25 and 30 participants haven't run as many miles before.
They are also preparing and training for the West Side half marathon happening in June. Some using it as a springboard to partake in the Chicago Marathon in October.
Outside of running, the program also offers other healthy tips.
"In our programming, we offer nutrition, strength workouts, mental health training. A little bit of everything – yoga and mindfulness. We just kind of lock in on the whole holistic health and wellness and just get people moving," Hoffman said.
Hoffman, a former college football player who also did a workout with the Chicago Bears, says he wanted to start the program because of the projected life expectancy in Garfield Park.
"The life expectancy in Garfield Park is 67. My father is 67 – recovering from a heart surgery. My mother is 65, and I got tired of people telling us what the narrative is going to be in Garfield Park, and I wanted to create our own narrative. Something positive for the community."
With the program, as he puts it, he's stepping up every day for his mission.
More information about the club can be found on the Peace Runners 773 website.
