A 200-Mile Run across Michigan Creates Awareness of Homelessness

When Brendan LaFrenier observed someone who was unhoused in Grand Rapids where he was raised, it made a big impression. “Anytime that I saw somebody experiencing homelessness, I would get really emotional and start crying,” he says. He started volunteering at homeless shelters when he was 13. Now a 21-year-old senior at LSA, he’s using his passion for long-distance running to give back in a bigger way.

In August 2025, LaFrenier co-founded Endurance for Change, which combines endurance, filmmaking, and community service. From March 2 to 4, he plans to run 200 miles across the state of Michigan—from Lake St. Claire north of Detroit to Lake Michigan in Holland. He’s hoping to raise $100,000 for 10 homeless shelters throughout Detroit, Ann Arbor, Lansing, and Grand Rapids and will stop at these shelters along the way. As of February 23, he had raised more than $12,000.

His passion for distance running was inspired by a challenge from a friend who didn’t think he would last long on the high school cross country team. LaFrenier’s response? “Bring it on. And that’s how I got into it.” He took that further, running two marathons, one Ironman triathlon, and four ultramarathons. He was helped along the way by his high school cross country coach, who is also coaching him for the upcoming race.

LaFrenier wanted to tie that running to a larger purpose. In December 2024, he ran 100 miles to raise money for addiction recovery. “When you’re 20 hours into physical activity and all you want to do is quit, you need something that's much bigger than yourself to keep going,” the chemistry major says. Last April, he got the idea for the 200-mile race. It’s “such a beautiful thing to be able to do it for such a great cause,” he says.

Nick DelFranco—a 22-year-old senior majoring in film, television, and media—is Endurance for Change’s co-founder. He met LaFrenier through the Michigan Poker Club, where they are now co-presidents. LaFrenier saw the merits of a film that would educate people about misunderstood aspects of homelessness. He knew that DelFranco was a film student and floated the idea by him.

The idea of supporting with homeless shelters while also bringing that educational aspect to a film about the race appealed to DelFranco. He’s now making a 90-minute documentary, Endurance for Change: A Run Across Michigan, his senior capstone project. His film professor David Marek, associate chair of the Department of Film, Television, and Media (FTVM), is serving in an advisory role. The department is providing equipment, and DelFranco has received two monetary awards from the department for the project as well.

One goal, LaFrenier says, is to combat common misperceptions, particularly that people who experience homelessness are lazy. Through the interviews conducted with some of the people at the shelters, LaFrenier learned of their hardships, like a person who had a hip replacement and ensuing medical bills that prevented them from affording rent. “A lot of the people we talked to still work. They still go to school,” he says.

DelFranco says that documentaries about running typically aren’t tied to a separate cause. He hopes this one “pushes the boundaries” because “it also addresses a really important topic aside from running.” The goal, he says, is to give people a better understanding of the pivotal role these shelters have in the community, leading to more support for them. He’s conducted interviews at nine of the 10 shelters so far. He plans to complete the film this summer, then submit it to film festivals or get it on a streaming service or YouTube.

Each student in Marek’s course is required to work on their own project. Marek was drawn to the “big-heartedness” of this project. He added that it’s particularly ambitious to take on a feature film—especially with only a crew of six, including DelFranco. Shooting along roads that are open instead of a closed set is especially challenging, he says, and everyone needs to be able to improvise and react in the moment. “It’s fun to see filmmakers jump out of the nest and start to fly on their own that way,” Marek says.   

Padrick Ritch, a lecturer III in FTVM and DelFranco’s former professor, was an early advisor and enthusiastic supporter. “Trying to make a difference and bring awareness to an issue that they care about—that’s what you hope your students go out and do,” he says. “When you get a chance to have students work on a project that has social impact or is raising awareness, that is a great, positive thing.”

LaFrenier has been training for the past eight months. He expects to run roughly 70 miles a day, refueling with only five hours of sleep a night. He’s trained his body to consume everything from pizza to sushi to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches while he runs so he doesn’t need to stop to eat. He’s been fortunate to never have experienced any serious injuries and was undaunted by this winter’s bone-chilling temperatures, running outside if the temperature didn’t drop below 10 degrees. “It’s not pretty, but I make it work.”

LaFrenier and DelFranco will both head to New York in the fall, LaFrenier to start an optometry program at the SUNY College of Optometry and DelFranco to pursue filmmaking there. While LaFrenier said that he has no current plans for another long-distance race, DelFranco isn’t ruling out a future collaboration. He said he knows how much LaFrenier likes running and helping others “so I wouldn't be surprised if there’s another run or event” for a different cause down the line.

As the race date nears, LaFrenier says the journey has been “life changing.” Hearing the stories of those experiencing homelessness, he says “I’ve definitely gained a deeper sense of empathy and gratitude.” He appreciates the chance to use his love for long-distance running to help others. “I would hope that I leave a legacy that’s much bigger than just running miles,” he says.

Photo and map courtesy of Brendan LaFrenier