From the streets of Chicago and NYC to a classroom in Texas, here’s how our runners are changing the map. 

They say running a marathon is a solitary sport. But ask any of the more than 120 runners who laced up for Team Healthy Kids in 2025, and they’ll tell you otherwise. You don’t run 26.2 miles alone; you run it for the thousands of students and communities counting on you. 

The 2025 marathon season was our most successful yet. Across the Bank of America Chicago Marathon and the TCS New York City Marathon, our dedicated Team Healthy Kids runners brought incredible energy, heart, and determination, raising more than $300,000 to support children’s health and well-being nationwide. 

But numbers only tell part of the story. The real impact happens when those dollars meet student needs. 

How Miles Became Meaning: The Ingram Story 

For Team Healthy Kids runner Alison Wells, the finish line was just the beginning. 

While training for the Chicago Marathon, Alison watched her community in Ingram, Texas, face devastating flooding over the July 4 holiday. What began as heavy rain quickly escalated into a historic surge, transforming a normally calm river into a force that displaced families and upended daily life. Ingram Independent School District (ISD) acted fast, opening its facilities as an emergency care and reunification center, including for children separated from their families at nearby camps. 

Though Alison and her family were not directly affected, the experience weighed heavily on her. She wanted to find a way to help and found it through the miles she was already running.  

“I wanted to use running for more than a personal goal,” Alison shared. “I reached out to Action for Healthy Kids to ask if my fundraising could support the local school district, and they immediately said yes.” 

Alison ultimately raised more than $2,000, which Action for Healthy Kids directed to Ingram ISD, both to support recovery and to say thank you to the district for its extraordinary leadership during the crisis. 

“Team Healthy Kids reminded me of how, when I’m training hard, I want to be an inspiration for my kids to do hard things. I wanted these funds to be a way to say thank you to Ingram ISD for their incredible leap into action.” 

From Miles to Mental Health: Calming Corners in Action 

Inspired by her generosity and in partnership with Ingram ISD, Action for Healthy Kids worked with district leaders Holly Lambert, Director of Special Education & Testing, and Lauren Tripp, Director of Communication, to identify a meaningful, sustainable way to support students. The result: Classroom Calming Kits. 

Used in classrooms or counseling offices to help students manage emotions and engage with learning, calming kits include sensory and reflection tools that students can use to practice self-regulation.  They can be especially impactful for neurodiverse students and those who have experienced trauma or stress. 

To bring the project to life, AFHK staff gathered at our Chicago headquarters to assemble and prepare the calming corner kits, carefully packing and shipping them directly to Ingram ISD. 

Anais Murphy, Senior Manager of Youth Mental Health & Wellness Programming at Action for Healthy Kids, added: 

“We’re grateful to Alison, the Ingram ISD team, and our dedicated AFHK staff who helped make this project possible. Together, we’re helping ensure students have the tools, spaces, and support they need to thrive—because every kid deserves to feel safe, supported, and healthy.”  

Run With Purpose. Make an Impact. 

Team Healthy Kids is Action for Healthy Kids’ signature marathon–based fundraising program, uniting runners, walkers, and supporters who turn their miles into meaningful impact for kids’ health and wellbeing in schools nationwide. 

Whether you’re training for a marathon, running your first 5K, or cheering from the sidelines, there’s a way to get involved. 

Join an upcoming Team Healthy Kids event, start your own fundraiser, volunteer, or make a gift to help bring more resources, training, and support to the school communities that need them most. 

Together, we’re not just going the distance; we’re building healthier futures, one step at a time. 

🔗 https://www.actionforhealthykids.org/fundraise/ 

 #EveryKidHealthy #TeamHealthyKids #RunForReason #MentalHealthMatters