600+ Runners, $700,000 Raised: Inside Chesed 24/7's 5K Run at American Dream

On a Sunday morning in February 2026, over 600 women laced up their sneakers and set off through the corridors of American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, NJ, not for a sale, not for a stroll, but for something far more meaningful. The Chesed 24/7 5K run, now in its sixth year, brought together runners, raisers, and supporters from across the community to collectively raise over $700,000 for patients and families in medical crisis. Every dollar raised goes directly toward stocking hospitality rooms, preparing Shabbos meals, and ensuring that no Jewish family faces a hospital stay alone. This is what the Run 24/7 5K looks like when a community shows up, fully, faithfully, and in full stride.

Key Takeaways

• The 2026 Chesed 24/7 5K run raised over $700,000 with 608 women participants running through American Dream Mall, marking the event's sixth year and largest fundraising achievement.
• All funds from the Chesed 24/7 5K run directly support Chesed Rooms—hospital hospitality spaces stocked with kosher food, Shabbos essentials, and comfort items for Jewish patients and families in medical crisis.
• Runners commit to a $1,200 minimum fundraising requirement, though top teams have collectively raised over $16,000, demonstrating how team-based fundraising amplifies community impact.
• The women-only indoor race features a unique four-loop course through multiple floors of American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, NJ, with live entertainment and post-run celebrations that build lasting community connection.
• Non-runners can participate as fundraising supporters through the 'Be a Raiser' option, and registration typically opens several months before the February event date.

What Is the Chesed 24/7 5K Run?

The Chesed 24/7 5K run, also known as RUN 24.7, is an annual women-only indoor walk/run fundraising event held at American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, NJ. It is one of the most distinctive Chesed 24/7 campaigns in our calendar year: a community 5K run that takes place entirely inside a mall, threading through hallways across multiple floors in four loops, starting at 8:00 AM EST.

The race isn't just about distance. It's about demonstrating, in the most tangible way possible, what it looks like when hundreds of women come together for Klal Yisroel. Participants complete a certified 5K course through the mall's interior, an experience unlike any standard outdoor race, surrounded by energy, music, and the shared purpose of supporting families who need us most.

For those who can't run, the event offers a "Not a Runner? Be a Raiser" option. Spectators and community members who wish to contribute to the fundraising goal, without participating in the physical race, are warmly welcomed. A virtual option has also been available in prior years for participants outside of the New York/New Jersey area.

The 2026 Race: By the Numbers

The 2026 edition of the Chesed 24/7 5K run at American Dream Mall was the sixth annual event, and the largest to date.

• 608 runners participated, crossing the start line and completing the multi-floor 5K course
• Over $700,000 was raised in total, a remarkable milestone for the event
• Entertainment, live music, and a post-run celebration filled the hours following the race
• The event has grown year after year, building on the momentum of the 2023 5K run and the 2024 5K run, each of which set new records for community participation

To put the fundraising in perspective: $700,000 sustained across Chesed 24/7's service network represents thousands of nights in stocked hospitality rooms, hundreds of Shabbos packages delivered to patients' bedsides, and meals prepared and distributed to families who didn't know how they would manage through a long hospital stay. That's what 608 women ran for.

The Multi-Floor Race at American Dream Mall

American Dream Mall, the sprawling entertainment and shopping complex in East Rutherford, NJ, serves as more than a backdrop. The venue's size and layout make it uniquely suited for an indoor 5K of this scale. Runners navigate four loops through the mall's wide corridors and across multiple floors, creating a race environment that is simultaneously exciting, safe, and fully contained.

The logistics of running a 5K inside a mall are no small feat. Our team coordinates with mall management, maps the course, manages registration, and sets up timing infrastructure, all so that on race morning, the only thing participants need to think about is running. Music echoes through the hallways. Cheerful signs line the route. At every turn, the energy is palpable.

Past editions of the RUN 24/7 event have seen top fundraising teams raise well over $16,000 individually, with standout individual fundraisers contributing close to $7,000 on their own. The $1,200 minimum per runner isn't a barrier, it's a floor. Many participants raise significantly more through personal networks, social media campaigns, and team-based fundraising efforts.

What the Money Supports: Chesed Rooms

All funds raised through the Chesed 24/7 5K run go toward supporting the organization's core services, and in 2026, a primary beneficiary of this campaign is our network of Chesed Rooms: hospitality rooms located in and near hospitals across the United States.

Chesed Rooms are stocked, maintained, and managed spaces within or adjacent to hospitals, designed to give Jewish patients and their families a place of comfort during what is otherwise a disorienting and painful experience. A Chesed Room is stocked with:

• Kosher food and snacks, available at any hour
• Shabbos and Yom Tov essentials, including challah, Kiddush wine, besamim, and becher
• Basic hygiene supplies and personal items
• Emotional support resources and a calm, heimishe environment

For a family that has just received a difficult diagnosis, or a caregiver who has spent the last 36 hours at a loved one's bedside, walking into a Chesed Room means something. It means someone thought ahead. It means the community is present, even here.

The 5K Your Way campaign has been instrumental in sustaining and expanding this network. As more families require support across more hospitals, the operational cost of stocking and maintaining Chesed Rooms grows. Events like the American Dream Mall run are what make that growth possible.

Team-Based Fundraising and Community Energy

One of the defining features of the Chesed 24/7 run is its team structure. Participants don't just sign up individually, they form teams, compete for fundraising milestones, and push each other to reach higher totals. It transforms a charity race into a community event, with friends, neighbors, and shul members rallying together under a shared banner.

Past leaderboards have featured teams with names like "Let's Lace & Race..." raising over $16,000 collectively. This team-based model does something important: it turns the fundraiser into a shared experience. The goal isn't just to run, it's to bring others along, in person or through giving.

This donor engagement model is one reason the event has grown each year. The community doesn't just write a check: it participates. And that participation, the sneakers, the miles through the mall, creates a connection to the cause that lasts long after race day.

For donors who want to support the work without running, the community raffle campaign and other structured giving options are available through Chesed 24/7 year-round.

Entertainment and Post-Run Celebration

The 2026 event wasn't just a run, it was a celebration. Post-race festivities included live entertainment, music, and the kind of warm communal energy that makes a Sunday morning in February feel like something worth waking up for.

Entertainment is a deliberate part of the event design. It sustains motivation during the race itself, rewards participants afterward, and creates the atmosphere of a community gathering rather than a sterile athletic competition. Families come. Supporters come. The post-run celebration becomes its own moment, a time to reflect on what was just accomplished together and to feel, collectively, the weight and meaning of $700,000 raised for people who need it.

For those who attended or participated in the 2021 breakfast event or other Chesed 24/7 community gatherings, the energy at American Dream Mall carries a similar spirit: people who care deeply about Klal Yisroel, showing up in person to demonstrate that care.

How to Participate in the Chesed 24/7 5K Run

If you'd like to join us at a future Chesed 24/7 5K run, here's what to know:

1. Registration opens at our Run 24/7 website in advance of the race date, typically several months before the February event
2. Each runner commits to raising a minimum of $1,200 through personal outreach, social media, and community support
3. Teams are encouraged, gathering a group of friends, family members, or shul connections to fundraise together and run together
4. Non-runners can participate as fundraising supporters through the "Be a Raiser" option
5. The event is women-only and takes place at American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, NJ

Registration and fundraising pages are managed through the Chesed 24/7 campaign portal. Each participant receives a personal fundraising page to share, tools to track progress, and ongoing support from the Chesed 24/7 team throughout the fundraising period.

For families currently relying on Chesed Rooms or other services, and for donors who make those services possible, the run represents something simple and true: a community in motion, for each other, every step of the way.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Chesed 24/7 5K run?

The Chesed 24/7 5K run, also called RUN 24.7, is an annual women-only indoor walk/run fundraising event held at American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, NJ. Participants complete four loops through the mall's hallways, raising funds for Chesed 24/7's hospitality room network supporting Jewish patients and families in medical crisis.

How much did the 2026 Chesed 24/7 5K run raise?

The 2026 Chesed 24/7 5K run raised over $700,000, with 608 runners participating. It was the sixth annual event and the largest to date, continuing our trend for community participation and fundraising impact.

What does the Chesed 24/7 5K support?

Funds from the Chesed 24/7 5K run support the organization's Chesed Rooms—hospitality spaces located in and near hospitals nationwide. These rooms are stocked with kosher food, Shabbos essentials, hygiene supplies, and emotional support resources for Jewish patients and families at no cost.

How much do runners need to fundraise to participate?

Each runner is required to raise a minimum of $1,200 to participate in the Chesed 24/7 5K run. Many participants exceed this threshold through personal networks, social media campaigns, and team-based fundraising efforts with Chesed 24/7 Campaigns.

Can I participate if I'm not a runner?

Yes. The event offers a "Not a Runner? Be a Raiser" option for spectators and community members who want to support the fundraising goal without running the 5K course. A virtual participation option has also been available in prior years for those outside the New York/New Jersey area.

Why is the Chesed 24/7 5K run held indoors at a mall?

American Dream Mall's sprawling layout across multiple floors provides a unique, safe, fully contained venue for an indoor 5K. The multi-floor course design creates an exciting race environment while allowing the event to accommodate hundreds of participants and maintain energy throughout the morning.

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