JEFFERSON TWP — Not everyone participating in the Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon is running solely for fitness and fun. Thirty different organized groups also are running to support causes.

One such charity group, Will Run for Food, is being hosted by St. Luke Lutheran Church and School on Hannahstown Road.

The group includes 23 runners: 12 running the full marathon, 11 running the half, and four five-person relay teams.

Although many participants belong to St. Luke or have children who attend the school, friends and family members also are supporting the cause, with a few traveling from out of state.

"We have at least a half dozen that this will be their first marathon and a good many who are running their first half marathon," said Pat Neubert, Butler Eagle running columnist and physical education teacher at St. Luke, who is largely responsible for organizing the project.

"It's kind of exciting, kind of a mixed group," she added.

According to to Adriane Deithorn, director of charities for the race, the Will Run for Food donations will be part of an estimated $750,000 raised in the May 2 event.

Neubert said she got the idea when signing up online to run the marathon. A number of charity groups were listed on the Web site.

"It was such a good idea that our church and school decided we couldn't pass up this opportunity to help people," she said.

As well as receiving donations from individuals, Will Run for Food is being sponsored by the Up N Running store in Valencia and Frankferd Farms Foods in Clinton Township.

Proceeds will be divided between the Sonshine Kitchen in McKeesport, a Lutheran organization that Neubert said has a local impact; and Food for the Poor, a Christian relief program focused largely on the Caribbean and Latin America.

"We didn't want to do fundraising for ourselves," Neubert said.

Deithorn said the charity groups range from 25 to 171 members. The groups are listed on the marathon Web site, www.pittsburghmarathon.com, which is set up to process online donations.

Donations also can be made by clicking Will Run for Food link at that site or at www.stlukecabot.org.

For more information, call the church and school at 724-352-2777.