Those still living with Katrina’s affects might think the world has forgotten about them. Media coverage is becoming scarce, and consequently so is national awareness. But Jonathon Prince still cares.

He cares so much that he is running over 2,600 miles to raise money for relief and serve as hope for the still shaken Gulf Coast.

Prince, 25, felt inclined to help in the relief effort from the beginning.

“The areas were hit so hard, and I had friends and colleagues who had lost everything,” he said. “I felt like I needed to do more than just send a check.”

A strong believer in the “power of one,” Prince decided to make a difference after watching hurricane coverage on television. He examined his lifestyle then started Run 4 Relief, an initiative to help in the recovery effort.

“I am a runner, so it just made sense to me,” Prince said.

Prince’s relief effort involves running from his hometown of Los Angeles to Atlanta and catching the eye of corporate sponsors and potential donators, who would both aid him on his journey and raise money for Habitat for Humanity.

His friends and family were initially skeptical about this undertaking.

“They thought I was crazy,” Prince said. “But once I proved that I was actually going to proceed, they started showing support.”

With the blessing of his loved ones, Prince began his run on Oct. 6. He endured bugs in New Mexico, inclement weather conditions, trouble with U.S. Border Patrol and policemen at the Louisiana border who, he said, thought he was a looter – but he would not be deterred.

“Like the Energizer Bunny, I kept going and going,” Prince said. “My motives were too strong for me to give up. If your ‘why’ is strong enough, than your ‘how’ won’t matter.”

Prince did keep going and on Jan. 17, finally reached the location he had been looking forward to – New Orleans. Although he said it was a relief for him to be there, it was also a rude awakening.

“The news didn’t do it justice,” Prince said of the damage. “Being there totally shifted my perception of everything.”

Although New Orleans was physically damaged, Prince thinks that what makes the city great was left intact.

“A hurricane can’t do anything to the soul of this city,” he said. “The food, the culture, the people – everything is still there and in place for the city to come back.”

Five pairs of shoes later, Prince continues on to Mobile, Ala., as the next stop on his run. He continues on his journey to help heal the broken Gulf Coast, one step at a time.

“There’s a nation of people out there who need hope and inspiration right now,” Prince said. “I hope I can provide that for them.”

Lauren LaBorde can be reached at [email protected].