The annual Rotary Manly Fun Run will return to the Corso this Sunday, with runners set to take on 2km, 5km and 10km courses.
But one runner will be doing it a little differently – he will be completing the run on crutches, or by any means necessary to cross the finish line.
“I’ll make it to the end by hook, crook or by crutch,” says Daniel Fields, who is preparing to take part despite recently breaking his ankle.
Daniel, who is Acting CEO of Northern Beaches not-for-profit organisation LocalKind, is fundraising for the grassroots charity as it faces rising demand and a growing funding gap.
A hidden crisis on the Northern Beaches
LocalKind, which was previously known as Community Northern Beaches, provides frontline support to people experiencing homelessness, domestic violence, financial hardship and challenges with refugee settlement across the Northern Beaches.
Despite the Beaches’ reputation for being an affluent area, Daniel says the need for their services is significant and often overlooked.
“People don’t always see the crisis happening here – but it is,” he says.
In the past year, the organisation recorded more than 7,000 visits to its Manly and Brookvale drop-in centres.
Demand has increased alongside cost-of-living pressures and a rise in domestic and family violence.
“We’re seeing more people, more often, with more complex needs,” Daniel says.
LocalKind’s work extends beyond emergency relief.
Services include settlement case management, support in navigating government and financial systems, access to a qualified immigration agent, and language services.
The organisation also connects people to education and employment pathways, provides support for domestic and family violence, and offers practical assistance, such as pro bono tax help, material aid, and free access to computers and Wi-Fi.
Community programs, including a Homework Club for children with English as a second language, aim to build long-term stability.
Running anyway
Daniel had originally planned to run the 10km event.
That changed after he slipped on a sandy rock during a training run in Mudgee and broke his ankle.
“I didn’t even consider cancelling,” he says. “Seeing the resilience of the people we support makes it hard to step back.”
Instead, he has adjusted his goal.
This year, he will attempt the 2km, and he’s determined to make it to the finish line.
See Daniel’s chat with Liam from Tawny Frogmouth here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DW5VFgCkRso/?igsh=MTNyZzBvaWphMnc2cg==
A growing funding gap
The fundraiser comes at a crucial time for LocalKind, which is currently facing a funding shortfall of around $200,000.
“We’ve grown significantly,” Daniel says. “A few years ago, revenue was around $800,000. Now it’s closer to $2 million – but demand has grown with it.”
Much of the organisation’s funding remains tied to short-term grants and donations, making it difficult to sustain staffing levels required to meet increasing needs.
The impact is immediate.
“That’s individuals and families in real crisis,” Daniel says.
Without additional support, key programs assisting people experiencing homelessness, domestic violence, and settlement may be at risk.
LocalKind warns that without closing the funding gap, its expanded frontline team, including five new community social workers to meet demand and two domestic violence workers now covering 5 days a week may not be sustainable, meaning more vulnerable people in our community will go without lifesaving support programs.
More than just a run
Now in its 11th year; Manly Fun Run, a Rotary Club of Manly project, has raised over $1.5m for local charities.
LocalKind is the largest fundraising team in this year’s event, with more than 50 individual fundraisers and six LocalKind team members taking part across the 2km, 5km and 10km distances.
Participants will gather along the Corso before heading out on the coastal course, returning to Hotel Steyne for a post-run community event with volunteers and supporters.
For Daniel, the run is about bringing visibility to a level of need that often goes unseen.
“People don’t always see it,” he says. “But it’s there.”
How to help
LocalKind is working to close a $200,000 funding gap at a time when demand for its services continues to grow.
The organisation says additional support will directly help maintain frontline staffing and ensure fewer individuals and families are turned away from critical services.
They are seeking support at all levels – from community members able to give small amounts, to larger contributions from local businesses, organisations and philanthropists – to help subsidise the shortfall and sustain essential programs.
Donations can be made via the LocalKind fundraising page or to Daniel’s run page here.
