Run Toward the Cause
Why I’m running the NYC Half Marathon
February 20, 2019
LET US PAINT A PICTURE FOR YOU:
So, you’ve just finished volunteering with All Hands and Hearts. You’ve boarded a plane home, back to your home and loved ones, full of inspiration but not sure where to go from here.
Sound like you? If you nodded your head a few times, we want you to know you’re not alone.
With one month to go before the NYC Half Marathon, we’re telling the stories of five AHAH alumni that wanted to continue to give back. We can’t always live the purple shirt, “boots on the ground” life – but with the help of the All Hands and Hearts Alumni Network, there’s more than one way to show your support.
SO WE ASKED THEM, “WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FOR ALL HANDS AND HEARTS?”
Here’s what they said:
BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN THE MISSION.
Zack Miklos: “I had the pleasure of working with All Hands and Hearts early last summer in the wake of hurricanes Irma and Maria on the island of St. John…[at the time,] I was a student-athlete studying Finance who had a passion for alternative housing and real estate. I built models and pitched ideas, but nothing really brought purpose to my work as my experience at All Hands and Hearts did. I was able to more deeply understand the impact a home has on our lives and what it looks like to no longer have one. The sweltering heat, ravenous bees, and tough work changed my outlook on life, inspired me to stay connected to the organization, and fueled my dream to one day build a company centered around the home…I am running for All Hands and Hearts because I believe in its mission, am excited by its electric atmosphere of humility and camaraderie, and because it truly has a impact on so many lives. I am also running to support the homeless—they’ll never be forgotten!”
BECAUSE WORDS DON’T DO JUSTICE.
Diane Alianiello: “I first came to New York City twenty years ago to pursue a career in professional theatre. And while that keeps me pretty busy most of the time, I am also a passionate volunteer, a fitness enthusiast and always ready for the next challenge!
I am also no stranger to hurricanes, having spent my entire life on the east coast – including a decade in Florida where most of my family still resides. Even so, something about the 2017 hurricane season really shook me, and the utter devastation caused by Harvey, Irma and Maria was a call to action for me. Donating funds and supplies as usual simply did not seem like enough…so I spent last December volunteering in St. Thomas as part of their USVI cleanup program. Words alone seem to ring a bit hollow when trying to describe just how impactful this program was for both myself and the community which I was serving but suffice to say it was a life-altering experience.
While it will be some time before I am able to take another extended disaster-relief trip (and I will!), I am so thrilled to do my part this year by running the NYC Half Marathon in March to benefit AHAH.”
BECAUSE I KEEP COMING BACK.
Seth Bond: “[I] first worked with All Hands and Hearts when they were ‘Hands On Disaster Response’ in the wake of the 2010 Haitian Earthquake, in the town Leogane and nearby remote villages. Since that time I have returned to Haiti, taken part in multiple New York City projects and seen numerous siblings and friends take an active role in All Hands and Hearts Response efforts all over the world. In spite of the intervening years bringing me to attend school at West Point, NY and years of work as an active US Army Officer in Asia I look back on my time with All Hands and Hearts as some of the most important and transformative experiences of my life. I will continue to make every effort to support and volunteer with the organization long into the future of their incredibly impactful recovery projects. See you in New York.”
BECAUSE THEY ARRIVE EARLY, AND LEAVE LATE.
Stella Park: “After several years of working in corporate finance, I moved to Spain last year to teach English at a bilingual primary school. Working in education and interacting with children every day have deepened my desire to be an advocate for a safe environment where students can learn, which is why I decided to help rebuild the two schools in Morelos, Mexico that were devastated by the earthquake in 2017. I then went onto Puerto Rico Hurricane Maria Relief Project to support the amazing volunteers who built hurricane-resilient roofs for the community of Barranquitas. And this March, I am beyond excited to run for the organization that tirelessly works to rebuild communities impacted by natural disasters, one that ‘arrives early and leaves late’ from response to recovery, one that not only serves our next door neighbors but also citizens of the world, and one that I am proud to support.”
BECAUSE IT’S MY WAY TO GIVE BACK.
Tia Renier: “I was glued to my TV in 2012 when Hurricane Sandy hit. I wanted to help and that feeling stuck with me for over a year until an opportunity arose with All Hands and Hearts (AHAH). In 2014 I travelled to the Philippines in response to a 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Bohol. My trip was brief but transformative. I returned to the US on fire about disaster response so I joined AmeriCorps and served in a program also focused on disaster relief. Although my path has had twists and turns since, I am grateful to now have a fellowship focused on community service and volunteerism in Washington D.C. I am running the NYC Half for AHAH because it’s my way to give back to the organization that was a catalyst in my life and career path. AHAH is a reminder that the problems and tragedies we face can be remedied if each person makes a small contribution. “
OUR ALUM KNOW THAT IT’S SIMPLE:
when you believe in the cause, you run toward it.
Want to find opportunities to support the cause? Our alumni network is the perfect place to do it. Join us now and see where you can keep making difference.
© 2022 ALL HANDS AND HEARTS