7 Years of Stride for Stride!
Seven years ago this month I launched Stride for Stride to give everyone an equal opportunity to compete in road races. At the time I had no idea how powerful crossing the finish line would be for our team’s physical and mental health.
During the pandemic we launched Heart to Cart, which distributed over $70,000 in supermarket gift cards to teammates, families, and communities who were struggling to put food on the table. Thank you!
In June 2021 races resumed (after a year hiatus) and Team Stride for Stride starting growing fast; from just 25 runners in 2021 to 518 runners, from 27 countries, today. And, this summer we surpassed a significant milestone of $250,000 spent on race bibs since our founding - today we’re at $273,000.
Earlier this year I launched another Stride for Stride program that I’m incredibly proud of, and one that was also created in direct response to the current environment; Mental Health in Stride provides free mental health therapy to anyone on our team who needs it.
Hundreds of runners on Team Stride for Stride have benefitted physically and mentally from running life changing races like the Boston Marathon, the NYC Marathon, Falmouth, and local 5Ks. And, in 2025 running has been a tremendous distraction from the realities swirling around US.
Running is therapy, however, sometimes running isn’t enough. All of our runners are immigrants who have endured the isolation of not knowing many (or any) people in their new country, they’ve experienced the stress of moving to this country, the challenge of not (initially) speaking the language, and now they are currently enduring the horrible anti-immigrant sentiment in the United States.
Since our founding in 2018, Stride for Stride has been a welcoming and safe community for our runners. We are a community whose team members have provided comfort to other runners experiencing depression and defeat. The team has provided solace to other teammates during dark and fearful days. And, one incredible team member even donated his kidney to save my life.
Stride for Stride has always been more than just running. Crossing the finish line gives people hope, empowerment, a sense of belonging, and pure joy. And, now Stride for Stride provides regular mental health therapy sessions to 25 members on our team, for free.
In 2026, our goal is to help even more individuals experience the positive physical and mental health benefits of running. And, we want more runners to partake in our free mental health sessions and to experience the comfort and security of a welcoming community.
Unfortunately, Stride for Stride can’t approve every new runner who wants to join our team - we simply can’t afford to do so. However, we’re hoping to change that in 2026 by welcoming hundreds of new runners to Team Stride for Stride. Our year end campaign “More than Just Running“ is our effort to do just that. Can you lend a hand via More than Just Running or by scanning the barcode below?
Thank you for being a part of our community, and thank you for the support you have given us. We’re honored to have you on Team Stride for Stride. We couldn’t run without you!
All the best to you,
Tom O’Keefe
Stride For Stride Foundation Inc
