Reminder: The Marathon for Mental Health

Each week, these emails highlight Amudim’s efforts to help a person in pain, but today, I’m going to share a very different kind of story with you – one about how some of our clients, as well as multiple other individuals, went all out to assist us in our mission to serve others.

You’ve probably heard of the Miami Marathon, a 26.2 mile race that attracts runners from all over the world. We ran a small team in the 2023 marathon, but this year, Team Run4Amudim had 38 runners, half of which were our clients at some point in time. In addition to taking on the enormous responsibility of training for the marathon, each one of our runners committed to raising $5,000 that will be used to help Amudim clients.

I can’t even begin to imagine which was harder – the grueling hours our runners spent pounding the pavement, or the endless time they spent working their phones, networking and finding creative ways to woo sponsors. But by the time we got to marathon weekend, our crew of eight teams was ready to roll, each one driven by their own passion.

Our top fundraiser was Team Hope,, whose eleven members were united in their dedication to helping suffering souls triumph over their challenges.

Our very own Gavz Boyz summer program ran a team as well, with former campers lacing up their sneakers to help teens turn their struggles into strength.

Team Worth It made a bold statement for those who are afraid to speak up about their battles of neurodiversity, mental illness and eating disorders.

And then there were the five members of Team Malky, who ran in memory of Malka bas Shlomo Dov, who lost her battle with addiction at the age of 26.

Run4Amudim is Malky’s legacy, inspiring others to keep on putting one foot in front of the other, even when the marathon of day to day living seems impossible.

Our runners came down to Miami on Thursday night, enjoying the relaxing South Florida vibe and a beautiful Shabbos.

Friendships developing and deepening as the hours flew by and by the time Havdalah came it we were all family.

It didn’t matter who was there as part of the recovery community and who was running as a show of support – everyone was united by a common goal – raising money for Amudim so that even more people can get lifesaving help.

By Sunday morning everyone was up well before the crack of dawn, wearing their race shirts and ready to conquer Miami.

The weather was hot, but Run4Amudim was hotter, and even after finishing the race, our runners were empowered and energized because the marathon was about more than running – it was all about overcoming significant and often life-threatening challenges and going all out to help others do the same.

Our runners aren’t just warriors, they are heroes and we are privileged to have them as part of the Amudim family.

If you’re having FOMO right now and thinking that you missed an incredible experience, you are right, and you probably aren’t alone.

Stay tuned for more information on Run4Amudim 2025 – we promise it will be an experience you’ll never forget.