On November 2nd, 11 incredible members of the Cultural Care Au Pair community laced up their shoes and took on one of the world's most iconic races — the New York City Marathon — all in support of the Cultural Care Kids First Foundation. They came to the race with different goals. Some were running their first marathon, some were returning to a sport they loved, and others were sharing the experience with someone from their Cultural Care journey. Here are a few of their stories:
A few of the runners behind the miles
Bryan M., host dad, and Maria P., au pair
Bryan returned to marathon running after taking a break to focus on becoming a father. His au pair, Maria, encouraged him to start training again, and the two ran the New York City Marathon together, with Bryan’s family cheering them on. For Bryan, the race was a chance to reconnect with a sport he loves while raising money for Kids First.
Laura V., Cultural Care staff member
Laura took on her first full marathon after years of running shorter races. She knew the distance would push her beyond her usual experience, but she was motivated by the chance to support Kids First and help bring the Cultural Care community together around the cause.
Sarah O., host mom
Sarah, a mother of four daughters, set herself the goal of running a marathon during a significant birthday year. After seven years as a Cultural Care host family, she wanted to support an organization that helps create opportunities for children.
Tara S., host mom, and Simone Z., bro pair
Tara and Simone discovered a shared love of running soon after he joined their family. After completing a 5K together, they began training for the New York City Marathon, with Tara’s children joining them for some of their runs. For both of them, the race was a personal challenge, a way to support Kids First, and another part of the bond they built through running.
Raquel V., au pair
Raquel returned to running after recovering from an accident. Her training taught her the importance of discipline, commitment, and resilience, especially on the days when motivation was hard to find. She ran the New York City Marathon to support children in need and to show them that they have a community standing behind them.
Thank You
Every mile run and every dollar raised goes directly toward supporting children in communities around the world. We are so proud of this team and deeply grateful to everyone who cheered them on and donated along the way!