Nonprofit Leap To Shine’s 5K Run/Walk raises $15,000 in New Jersey

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In the early morning hours of Sept. 17, 2022, 40 volunteers gathered at Skillman Park, N.J., to prepare for the 5K Run/Walk to raise funds for charitable causes. It was the first edition of an event that the organization plans to repeat in the future.

Leap to Shine was raising funds to help provide quality education for underserved children in India. Children of migrant workers, day laborers, girl children, children from financially strapped backgrounds are equipped with books, digital tablets, nutritional meals, vitamin supplements, shoes, book bags through Leap to Shine’s commitment to their welfare, a press release from the organization said.

“Young volunteers of Leap to Shine NJ take immense pride in spending their summer planning the event, getting registrations, and finally executing it in Fall 2022. Their hard work meant 250 registrations for the event,” organizers said.

The event was a family activity, with parents and children coming together in support of the Leap to Shine’s mission. Children as young as 5 years old pitched in whilst teens whizzed about on their bicycles ferrying banners, posting signs, and prepping the course.

The race was flagged off with 200+ participants at 9 a.m. but not before a Flash Dance performance in which volunteers and participants joined in to create a festive atmosphere.

This event was also a part of India’s 75^th year of Independence celebration, organizers said. Consul General of India in New York Randhir Jaiswal was the Chief Guest. He presented awards to all the winners and handed out President’s Volunteer Service Awards to the exceptional Leap to Shine volunteers.

Participants got white T-shirts with the logos of sponsors displayed on the back.

Sponsors of the event included 27^th Investments Pinky Shah Mortgage Team (Pinky Shah), Shah Total Planning, O5 apparel (Sonali Gupta), Insurance office of America, Indegene, Akshaya.io, Rane’s Dental, New York Life. Parikh Worldwide and ITVGold partnered with coverage of the event.