New York City hosts one  of the largest marathons in the world. As of 2025 there were about 59,226 finishers from all different country’s and organizations including Team for Kids, a nonprofit charity team created by New York Road Runners which raises money to give free/low cost running programs to children in schools. But what began as just a run club that was for a good cause often became something more for the runners.

For my family, Team for Kids changed their lives. My mom and stepdad both joined when they lived in New York in 2016 not

knowing they would meet their future husband/wife.

Ben said, “I only joined to get a spot in my first marathon and I never expected to meet Natalia.”

They didn’t just meet their partners for life but friends as well. Ben’s best man and my Godmother both were for Team for Kids, too. All of them, along with a few others became friends that have stayed close throughout the years.

Anabella said, “One day we were just running together, and the next we were finishing races together and becoming a sort of run family.”

The team also helped me, too when I was younger. In elementary school, I was part of a running program, Girls on the

Run, that was paid for by Team for Kids. At the time, I did not realize what I was fully apart of and what it really ment. Through the program I met many coaches and many of whom were fellow runners for team for kids . My mother would also volunteer as a coach.

“That time in my life was bittersweet because all my hard work was finally being used and I got to see everything kinda pour it into my daughter and it made me so happy to see it all,” she said.