OAR is kicking off Autism Acceptance Month with the fourth annual Active for Autism 5K & Kids Dash. This year’s event will be both in person and virtual. The in-person 5K & Kids Dash event will take place at Hains Point in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, April 23 at 8:00 a.m. The family-friendly event will feature a safe, flat, and fast out-and-back course, kids dash, and post-race celebration.
To participate virtually, you can run, walk, cycle, or swim at your own pace, on your own time, from wherever you are any time in April. Take on a 5K course right outside your front door, inside your home on a treadmill/trainer, or be creative and find a new course somewhere fun. Kids 12 and under are welcome to participate in the Kids Dash by completing a virtual race of any distance that is suitable for them.
In addition to spreading the autism awareness message across the country, the event raises money for OAR’s Changing Lives Fund. Our goal for the 5K is to raise $80,000, enough to fund two new OAR research studies. Any funds raised over $80,000 will be used to support OAR’s mission to apply research to the challenges of autism. The name of the fund comes from OAR’s mission tasks: Raise Money. Fund Research. Change Lives. Through your support for the Active for Autism Virtual 5K & Kids Dash, you are directly supporting OAR’s ultimate objective: to change lives.
For the last two years, COVID-19 forced OAR to change had been scheduled to be a local running event to a virtual 5K. The change led to even more success. The 2021 Active for Autism Virtual 5K & Kids Dash attracted more than 480 runners from 39 states and 10 countries combining forces to raise more than $80,000. We hope that this year’s combined format will result in more runners, kids dashing, and overall fun. Please join us!
All Active for Autism 5K participants will receive a race t-shirt and race bib and be eligible for fundraising prizes. All Kids Dash participants will receive a race bib and finisher’s ribbon.
If you are interested in becoming a sponsor for the 2022 Active for Autism 5K & Kids Dash, please email run@researchautism.org.
Click here to register for the Active for Autism 5K (in-person or virtual). We’re counting down to race day and look forward to seeing you there.
Additional IDEA Funding Available to States
In mid-May, the U.S. Department of Education announced that it will provide an additional $144 million to states and districts to use for Individuals with...
London Marathon Team Reaches New Heights
Windy Tanner intends to fundraise for OAR until she’s raised $50,000—enough to fund a new research study. “In April 2023, my older brother, who was...
Your Support Made the Difference!
Each year, OAR lays out ambitious goals for engaging community members in celebration of Autism Acceptance Month. Throughout the beginning...
