People woke up early Sunday to take part in Fairfield University's Start With Hello 5K fundraiser, an initiative to combat gun violence within the classroom.

The initiative aims to teach empathy and to champion inclusivity through three simple steps: 1. See someone alone. 2. Reach out and help. 3. Start with hello.

The annual student-led event is hosted by the school's Social Work Club and Phi Alpha Honor Society.

It's held in support of the Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) campaign to educate and empower youth and adults to prevent violence.

"There are people who kind of get swept to the wayside and forgotten about and that can create a lot of social isolation and an inability to reach out for help," said Grace Nieszczezwski, a junior and social work major at Fairfield University. "If we can identify those individuals in the first place and work to counteract that, we can prevent a lot of that negative behavior, a lot of that gun violence in school systems."

Last year's fundraiser collected more than $1,300 in donations for Jared Eliot Middle School in Clinton, Conn. The donations sponsored a training event for students on breaking down barriers to build community.