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By EMILY SPARACINO | Staff Writer

HOOVER – An upcoming 5K run at Veterans Park on Valleydale Road in Hoover will benefit local children in need.

The Circle of Love 5K on Saturday, March 19 will serve as a fundraiser for school supplies and other necessities for children in area shelters.

“Community involvement and philanthropy are an important part of our corporate culture,” said Doris Phillips, owner of The Circle of Love Foundation’s sponsoring company, RealSource Title Insurance and Real Estate Closings. “Much of our work involves The Circle of Love Foundation, a nonprofit I founded in 2004 to help children in area shelters and others in need.”

According to Phillips, her childhood experiences led her to form the organization.

“I knew what it felt like to be forgotten and vowed to help prevent other children from feeling that way in the future,” Phillips said. “You never know how something as simple as letting a child know someone cares could affect their future outlook on life.”

The Circle of Love Foundation has touched the lives of more than 7,500 children and has raised more than $825,000 in gifts and supplies.

In 2021, the foundation collected nearly 300 backpacks and Christmas gifts for more than 500 children living in area shelters and others in need.

The foundation is based in Hoover, as are RealSource and Lake Homes Realty, the company Phillips operates with her husband, Glenn.

The 5K will start at 9 a.m., and participants may walk or run. To register, visit Thecircleoflove.org.