I first met the OAR team in 2024 at the Chicago Marathon expo and I instantly knew that if I was going to run a marathon again, it was going to be on their team. Last year I made that happen. Running for OAR was an absolute dream, naturally I had to run (literally) it back.

However, this year, I FINALLY CONVINCED CANDICE TO RUN A MARATHON!!!! I am so proud that we get to not only raise money for this incredible organization but show my niece (her daughter) that we can do hard things and that we can accomplish anything we set our minds to.

WHY RUN FOR AUTISM?
1 in 31 children in the U.S. is diagnosed with autism. By joining the RUN FOR AUTISM team, you’re supporting OAR’s mission to fund research and resources that help people with autism and their families today.


Here are some of the ways that OAR uses the funds raised by the RUN FOR AUTISM team:

$10 provides a Curriculum in a Box professional development set to general education teachers.
$25 provides 15 copies of A Guide to Safety to families and first responders.
$100 provides the Kit for Kids peer education resource to an entire elementary or middle school.
$150 provides 100 copies of a Life Journey through Autism guidebook sent to a community support group or military installation.
$1,000 provides a research grant for a graduate student studying autism.
$3,000 provides a scholarship for a student with autism to attend college.
$50,000 fully underwrites an applied research pilot study.