Sunday, October 8th, 2023
9:00 AM to 12:30 PM
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Sponsors | Pre-Race Stretch| What to Bring | Social Media | Parking | Map
We are thrilled to once again host our Make a Difference 5K Walk/Run and invite you to join us! On Sunday, October 8, 2023, lace up your shoes, stretch your legs, and get ready to run.
Hosted by the Kids4Kids team, our goal is to raise awareness for all that our Share & Care family of volunteers and donors have done — and continue to do — to empower women, provide educational opportunities, and provide healthcare to remote communities. On October 8, we unite to celebrate four decades of service and raise funds toward our mission of uplifting the marginalized, forgotten, and underserved in India. You can help!
Grand Sponsor ($10,000+)
Diamond Sponsor ($5,000+)
Gold ($2,500+)
Silver ($1,000+)
Bronze Sponsor($500+)
In-Kind Sponsors
There will be awards to the top Overall Male and top Overall Female. There will then be awards for the top male and female finisher in each of the following Age Groups: 14&Under, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+
Time: 9:30-10:00 AM
We are excited to have Coach Eric Garella from Orangetheory Fitness leading a pre-race stretch to warm up your muscles and get ready for the 5k! DJ Eric Garella will also be teaming up with DJ Allen Lai to provide music for the event.
Your numbers will be attached during check-in, and you’ll need your ID to pick them up. If possible, try to pack up the night before. We’ve included some additional items to think about when putting your bag together:
The race will go on regardless of weather. We will have disposable rain ponchos available for everyone, and check-in and other activities will be held under a tent. If it does rain, here are some tips to help you out on race day.
Rainy Day Running Tips
Parking access will be an issue, as the event is in a central location. Cars will have limited access to the main parking lot as the roads will be closed off by 9:45 a.m. for the 10:00 race to start.
There are parking lots further away (10 minute walk), but please let your friends and family know to arrive earlier rather than later.
There will be signs guiding you to the event in the parking lots and throughout the park.
We also have a map you can download that shows the event parking areas, the track, water stations, and start and finish lines.
You can join the Make a Difference 5K Walk/Run event and help spread awareness for those in need. Please read the following so you’re prepared when you begin your registration.
There are two main events that will be going on at the same time, so plan accordingly.
While the 5K Walk/Run is our main event, the 1K Kids Walk/Run is where future 5K winners get their start! The 1K is a family-friendly event so our littlest ones (ages 7 and under) can be a part of making a difference alongside their parents, grandparents, and friends.
You must be an adult (18+) to register, and can register multiple participants of all ages.
| 5K Walk/Run! | 1K Kids Walk/Run! | |
|---|---|---|
| Participant | Participant | Chaperone* |
| Ages: 8+ Registration Fees: Ages 8–12: $15 Ages 13+: $30 |
Ages: 7 and under Registration Fees: Free |
Ages: 8+ Registration Fees: Ages 8–12: $15 Ages 13+: $30 |
*If you or someone else wishes to accompany a 1K walk/runner participant (ages 7 and under), you will need to register both the child and the chaperone.
Share & Care has specific projects that will be funded by the 5K and 1K races. At sign-up, you’ll be asked to choose a team. We encourage all participants, especially children, to look over the teams and see which one they would like to support.
Once you’re registered, you’ll receive an email confirmation and instructions on setting up your own fundraiser page. This is how each team — and team member — can make a real difference. By reaching out to friends, family, and co-workers, you can spread awareness about the ongoing mission of Share & Care while also raising funds for this event.
Educate 2 Graduate & Educate 2 SuccessTransform a child’s future. Help needy, hardworking students complete their education.
Healthcare 2 UnreachedSave a life. Deliver critical healthcare to “unreachable” individuals, one village at a time.
Women Empowerment: Sexual Abuse Prevention ProjectCombat child sexual abuse. Help us defeat abuse in rural India by raising awareness and being a strong voice for victims.
All ProgramsGive the gift of hope. Create opportunities for families in rural India to escape the cycle of poverty, once and for all.
T-shirts will be distributed the day of the event. As of April 13, only Youth Large and Adult Large sizes will be available. Note: There will be a bathroom available to change into t-shirts, or participants can order one size bigger to wear over another shirt.
| Shirt Size | Chest Width | Shirt Length |
|---|---|---|
| Youth Large | 32" | 21" |
| Adult Large | 42" | 29" |
Click the button below to begin your registration. You will receive a confirmation email once completed, and we will keep you informed on the next steps up through race day. You may also check here at any time for the latest information.
Yay! We hope to see you all there, let the races begin!
At Share & Care, we believe that it is our social responsibility to work together to create a more equitable world, where everyone has access to education, gender equality, and healthcare. It is our mission to create opportunities for economically challenged women and children to help reduce poverty and improve the quality of life in rural India.
Our Signature Programs strive to make long-lasting, sustainable change by partnering with NGOs on the ground in India to ensure we’re creating innovative solutions to local problems and making the most effective impact. On each tab, you can read more about each of our Signature Programs, the services it provides, and meet a few of our beneficiaries whose lives have been transformed!
Our Share & Care Women Empowerment Signature Program strives to identify effective and lasting solutions to truly empower women in rural India. No one single solution can resolve such a multi-faceted issue, so the committee identified a multi-pronged approach including:
The Anjali Women & Adolescent Empowerment Project is just one of many projects supported by Share & Care’s Women Empowerment Program. It aims to uplift rural women by providing them with skills, leadership training, and physical resources to help them launch their own businesses and become financially independent. Anjali also facilitates financial training and savings groups for women across the Gujarat region, allowing them to contribute their savings collectively and take out loans to secure stable housing, sustainably source their own food, invest in their own businesses, and access lifesaving healthcare.
To create a ripple effect that extends beyond their direct beneficiaries, Anjali also works to spread awareness of health and social issues, educate children about gender equality, and spark widespread change to benefit all women across India.
Manishaben, a mother of two young children, is a leader of one of Anjali’s savings groups for women. After completing a tailoring and sewing course sponsored by Share & Care, she began earning money by sewing clothes and contributing a portion of her savings to the savings group.
Manishaben had always been studious, getting excellent grades during her school years. She dreamed of becoming a nurse, but her financial situation limited her. After learning to sew and establishing a source of income, her dream came to life again.
She discussed her passion for nursing with the Anjali savings group, and all of the group members encouraged her ambition. Through the support of the group and with the money she had saved as a result of the financial education she received, she was able to begin nursing school last year, and she is excelling in her studies.
The support Manishaben has received transformed her life, allowing her to grow in her confidence, become financially stable, and finally pursue her dreams.
Our Share & Care Educate 2 Graduate Signature Program (E2G) identifies brilliant young scholars who are not able to afford a college education and provides them with the financial and emotional support they need to pursue their degrees.
Since E2G’s inception in 2006, Share & Care has awarded more than $2.5 million in scholarships to more than 1,750 deserving students as they pursue degrees in engineering, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and computer science. The typical beneficiary comes from a family of four with a total income of less than Rs. 2 lac per year.
Data collected from more than 800 working graduates shows that E2G beneficiaries are now earning between Rs. 2-50 lac per year, a multifold increase over their family’s income. Additionally, it’s conservatively estimated that the program will have a 20 times return on investment over the next decade, with even more growth thereafter, and generate more than $22 million in family wealth in five years.
The Lila Poonawalla Foundation (LPF) is just one of many projects supported by Share & Care’s Educate 2 Graduate Program. LPF shares our belief in the potential of young scholars and the generational change they can harness. The project promotes education for young women and, to date, has transformed the lives of more than 14,200 young women. Recently, 35 of those young women received scholarships while they are enrolled in engineering, pharmacy and nursing degree programs. Beyond scholarships, LPF students also receive holistic training to ensure that they have the skills necessary to lead successful, independent lives once they graduate.
Mrudula was one of the bright, young students to be selected for one of the 35 scholarships provided. When Mrudula’s father passed away, her mother struggled financially and began looking for assistance to keep the family afloat. Mrudula was an excellent student, earning great results on her 12th grade exams. Knowing that her mother wouldn’t be able to pay for her higher education, she applied for an Educate 2 Graduate scholarship and was selected. She has been making the most of this opportunity, participating in all of LPF’s skill-building and training activities available to her. She is currently working toward her bachelor’s degree in computer science from the MIT Institute of Art, Design, and Technology in Loni Kalbhor, Pune.
Our Share & Care Healthcare 2 Unreached Signature Program (H2U) aims to provide basic and preventative healthcare to rural areas of India. The program and its projects emphasize illness prevention, lifestyle- and hygiene-related preventative care, maternal care, and infant mortality. Some of H2U’s recent projects have included:
TThe rural Theni district of Tamil Nadu is home to a population of 30,000 people, the majority of whom suffer from non-communicable health conditions like anemia, malnutrition, diabetes, hypertension, and more. With the support of Share & Care, the CENDECT Community Healthcare Project has established 17 medical camps to screen the population for these conditions, offer preventative education, and distribute treatment resources.
CENDECT has screened almost 1,300 community members, 723 of whom were diagnosed with anemia. These anemic patients were provided with adequate education about their condition as well as iron supplements to return their iron levels to normal. CENDECT’s work is changing lives each day, improving the overall health and quality of life for the Theni district community.
Mrs. Deepika, a 29-year-old from the Theni district, learned about the CENDECT clinics after attending a community health awareness program. She came to the clinic with complaints about a lack of appetite, muscle cramps in her legs, and occasional lightheadedness. After collecting a blood sample, the clinic staff found that Mrs. Deepika was not only severely anemic, but she had low platelet and red blood cell counts, as well as poor overall absorption of iron and other nutrients.
Mrs. Deepika began receiving iron injections once a week at the clinic, as well as oral supplements daily. The clinic staff also gave her instructions on how to naturally increase her blood iron levels by consuming more iron-rich foods. Under the care of the clinic, Mrs. Deepika is now thriving, with a normal appetite, and is no longer suffering from cramps or dizziness.
Our Share & Care Educate 2 Success Signature Program (E2S) strives to provide the resources and support that students who have dropped out need to re-enroll and complete their education.
For every 10 students, four drop out before reaching 8th grade. A number of factors contribute to this drop-out rate, including school costs, discrimination, gender-based learning gaps, and child labor. Once they drop out, these children fall into the same cycle of poverty that their families have faced for generations.
The E2S committee takes a holistic approach, knowing that each child needs support, guidance, and nurturing to break out of the vicious cycle of generational poverty and illiteracy. The goal is not simply literacy, but that each child develops into a productive, compassionate, and confident member of society.
In India, the limited resources of the education system has severely affected students’ ability to meet their learning goals and pursue higher education, especially among those children attending government schools. Due to this resource gap, they struggle to compete with students from other areas, creating a digital divide between the haves and the have-nots.
Recognizing how crucial digital literacy is in this age, NGO partner Y4D, in collaboration with Share & Care, aims to provide government schools with the digital infrastructure and training necessary to instill these skills in students. To do so, Digital Training and Research Centers (DRTC) are established, and teachers are trained on the courses so they can pass this knowledge on to their students. A well-structured timetable has been developed to ensure students engage in sessions in the lab and gain hands-on experience. Additionally, the digital labs facilitate other academic activities such as science exhibitions and educational video programming. Moreover, the project expanded beyond academics to offer extracurricular and holiday-based activities to further engage the students.
This DTRC model effectively raises the standard of living by providing access to the online world, which they would otherwise be unable to access or access regularly. It also successfully shapes the students to achieve their goals amid our ever-changing digital landscape.
Khushbu Kumari is a 15-year-old student in the 9th grade at a government school. Khushbu’s family could not afford to buy her a computer or pay for computer classes beyond what was available at her school. Thanks to Y4D and Share & Care, a state-of-the-art computer lab was built on her school’s campus for Khushbu and students like her.
From the moment Khushbu sat at one of the new computers, she was eager to learn. She absorbed all of the information she could and quickly became one of the top students in her class. She was amazed at what she could accomplish, learning how to create spreadsheets, write reports, and even design graphics. These new computer skills helped her excel in her other subjects as well. With her internet research training, she began doing better on exams, writing more detailed reports, and presenting more engaging and professional presentations. Khushbu's teachers were impressed and noticed a significant improvement in her grades.
Khushbu's parents were also delighted with their daughter's progress. They were proud of her achievements and grateful to the organizations that donated the computer lab to their school. It has opened up a world of possibilities for students who never had access to technology before, and Khushbu is just one of many who have benefited from this incredible gift.
We need your support!
Your help will mean a smoothly run event in support of our important causes.
The top 8 reasons why you should align your business with the Share & Care Foundation:
E2S provides children in rural areas, where dropout rates can reach 40%, with the support to stay in school and complete their education. Share & Care takes a holistic approach to ensure each child develops into a productive, compassionate, and confident member of society.
Share & Care is currently supporting 666 students.
E2G makes college education a reality for underprivileged, yet brilliant, young scholars by providing them a scholarship to attend a degree program in the sciences. After graduation, E2G scholars secure jobs at the top companies in India, breafking themselves and their entire families out of the cycle of poverty in a single generation.
Share & Care is currently supporting 1,363 students.
WE works to truly empower the women of India with vocational and livelihood skills training, personal finance courses, self-defense lessons, and self-confidence and mentoring. The program also works to rescue young girls from red-light districts, and provides them with a safe space, education, and a new life. We have also added Sexual Abuse Prevention for children, families, teachers, and communicty leaders under this program.
Share & Care is currently empowering over 100,000 women.
H2U brings healthcare to people in rural India who otherwise have no access to medical care by building health facilities and mobile care units in the most remote corners of the country. The program places an emphasis on prenatal and antenatal care, maternal and child mortality, vaccinations, nutrition, and health education.
Share & Care is currently working in over 80 villages.
This is a chance to give back to the community and give life-changing opportunities to the less fortunate. We would be grateful if you could support our 5K Walk/Run.
We anticipate around 1,000 people attending this event, and our volunteers are running much of the programming. If you support us, we will include you in all marketing materials, on our website, and will recognize your organization at our event.
Please see the sponsor form for more details. Or, contact us directly at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
