Last Sunday, YAO members arrived in Jackson Park in Chicago to take on a formidable challenge: run the Chicago Half Marathon & 5K to raise awareness and support for Opportunity’s poverty-eradicating initiatives in the developing world.

Seventeen registered runners and a number of volunteers dedicated time and support to this effort. Runners and volunteers alike arrived bright and early on Sunday morning dressed in their red, black and white “I Heart Microfinance” t-shirts. The volunteers staffedhttp://www.opportunity.org/young-ambassadors-for-opportunity/YAO[/intlink]‘s rest and recovery tent, handing out information about YAO to passers-by, and offering water and cheers to the triumphant runners returning from their races.

For some runners, it was their first half marathon and finishing was a huge win in and of itself, while others raced against their personal bests, finishing in less than two hours. Either way, the perfect weather, along with the satisfaction that came from running strong, pushing physical limits, and knowing that your effort was enabling people to work their way out of poverty, made it a winning day all around. Check out all our race day pictures on YAO’s Facebook page.

YAO members have now raised more than $4,500 through half marathon fundraisers on OptINnow, giving the proceeds to Opportunity’s program in http://www.opportunity.org/young-ambassadors-for-opportunity/tanzania/Tanzania[/intlink], enabling us to provide much-needed services to our impoverished clients there. It’s not too late to support these fundraisers. Click here to give.

Wishing you could have joined us for last Sunday’s race? Mark your calendar for next year, and meanwhile, you can use your next fitness challenge–whether it’s a 5K run, a 20-mile bike ride, or a day-long hike–to start your own fundraising page on OptINnow. Show that you support the fight to alleviate global poverty through http://www.opportunity.org/what-is-microfinance/microfinance[/intlink].