More than 500 area residents came together May 11 at Coca-Cola Park to put their feet and hearts to a good cause.

The Salvation Army held its 5K Rock N' Run event to benefit foster care and the adoption community.

Whitehall resident Rachel Paashaus, resource and adoption specialist for the Salvation Army Children's Services, said the event, in its second year, is a vital means of communicating to the community the need for foster care and adoption services.

"The children and families who are connected to foster care and adoption must know that there are thousands of people in our community who love them, care for them and will make sacrifices for their best interest," Paashaus said. "If, after the Rock N' Run, just one additional person learns about foster care and adoption, than we have accomplished our goal."

Now in its second year, the event came about because May is National Foster Care month, the goals of which coincide with the Salvation Army Children's Services' goal of raising awareness about the needs of foster and adoptive services in the community, state and nation. The purpose of the event, Paashaus said, is to eliminate some of the negative stereotypes that exist regarding foster care and adoptive services by creating an enjoyable event.

"Our goal of each Rock N' Run 4Kids 5K is to host an event which is uplifting, inspiring, fun and family centered for all," she said.

Whitehall resident Manal Haddad, a first-grade teacher in the Northwestern Lehigh School District, also volunteered for the event because of the number of children she has had in her classes who are foster children.

"I'm a teacher and I'm a Christian as well," Haddad said. "I feel like I'm called to help in any way I can, especially in the lives of children ... they need advocates, and an event like this raises awareness."

The event and its overall purpose brought out Whitehall runner Matt Ladner.

"It seemed like a good cause," he said. "It was nice. It was very positive."

Paashaus said preliminary figures reveal $9,000 has been raised from this year's event.

For more information on adoption and foster care services provided by the Salvation Army, visit http://www.use.salvationarmy.org/.