* Sharing This Link Will Change Lives*

Honduras has been left devastated by massive hurricanes, leaving thousands with absolutely nothing.  As 70,000 people remain in shelters, millions of others across the nation are left in peril.  These human beings are badly in need of help.  

So what are we going to do to help?  What are some of my goals?

1) I will be running a marathon on June 6th, 2021 -- rain or shine to raise money for the aforementioned cause. (Details on my marathon & the Honduras situation below) 

2) Members of our team and I will be flying out to Honduras (at our own expense) after the completion of my marathon, to work firsthand on our project.  

Efforts:
Some of the most basic humanitarian needs are access to clean water, shelter, sanitation, hygiene, health, protection, and food security. Because of this, our mission is to build home(s), start a few small businesses for families, and provide funds to local orphanages that specifically support children who were affected by these disasters. Our efforts are quite literally reliant upon your generosity and kindness. We want to help as many people as possible; we will work tirelessly until all of the funds raised are exhausted. Please note: the entire process will be documented, so you can remain active participants in this journey, as well. Hopefully, by witnessing the fruits of your donations, you, too, will feel a sense of fulfillment.

Why this cause?
I, too, was affected by a disaster of sorts. I was five years old when my mother kissed me for the last time on a Tuesday morning. It was September 11th, 2001, and unbeknownst to us, we had just said our final goodbye. She went to work at the World Trade Center as I was starting my second week of kindergarten. There she worked In the south tower for Aon, where she enjoyed her view from the 99th floor. Personally speaking, my biggest fear as a child was that another accident was going to leave me an orphan. 

As I’ve come to terms with the fact that the world is sometimes an unfair place, I’ve noticed one thing: no good comes from putting forth hate into the world. I immediately felt for the children whose families were torn apart by the aforementioned natural disasters. The reality is I cannot protect these children from the scary realities they are faced with every day or the uncertainties of their future, but I can help provide for them and their families today. My biggest obstacle, however, was finding a way to make this a reality. Luckily, I am now surrounded by a like-minded team of individuals who are as enthusiastic about the cause as I am.

Team:
Aaron Murphy (@MurphsLife) is the boots on the ground in this area of work; from helping in the fundraising effort to planning many of the logistics necessary for a successful trip, he serves as an inspiration and point person for me. Not to mention, he will be personally meeting me in Honduras as we make this project a reality - together. Another wonderful humanitarian and philanthropist joining our cause is Mraam (@Mama.Mraam). Mraam has also been helping people in need through charity work on TikTok, truly making an impact on the lives of people in difficult situations and circumstances. Thirdly, Jesús (@juixxe) has most recently joined the effort as a passionate and driven individual adamant about helping people that struggle to provide for their families. Put simply, these three team members have TikTok profiles that speak for themselves (links are below).  Fourthly, Amanda Trivizas (@AmandaTrivizas) has joined our effort.  Amanda is a wonderful social media influencer who has a passion for philanthropy.  I have a feeling that this will be one of many humanitarian ventures for her.

Hurricane Details:
Hurricane Eta was a Category 4 hurricane when it began affecting northern parts of Honduras on November 3, 2020. The United States National Hurricane Center forecast as much as 20ft of rain being deposited onto the region, as torrential downpour persisted for days with winds reaching speeds just south of 150 mph. This led to rising rivers and raging floods that ran rampant throughout the area, causing landslides across the country, killing people and destroying anything caught in its path. With this creating a host of problems all on its own, this population of people already had pre-existing vulnerabilities stemming from deteriorating economic conditions, recurring climate shocks, high food insecurity, forced displacement, and chronic violence. If all this did not sound bad enough, two weeks later, a Category 5 hurricane came through, marking an almost unprecedented natural disaster in Honduras. As 70,000 people remain in shelters, millions of others across the nation are left in peril, receiving very little, if any, assistance from the government. Analysts suggest this may cause poverty rates to surpass 70% of the population. 

Marathon Details:
So I will be running a marathon on June 6th, 2021 -- rain or shine to raise money for the aforementioned cause. If (by some chance) the race I’m registered in happens to get canceled due to COVID restrictions, I’m committed to running 26.2 miles in some form, whether around Hudson County, Liberty State Park, or just up and down Broadway. 

All I ask of anyone is that they merely share this link. I understand donating money during these times is hard, so I’m not even going to explicitly ask that of you… but if we can get as many people to see our campaign as possible and we succeed, then we can, without exaggeration, change the lives of many.  We can ensure that homes and living conditions are suitable. We can economically empower the families to sustain themselves and help pay for the children’s education.  All of this can be done through everyone’s beautiful collective effort. 

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your consideration, and I appreciate any interaction you have with the campaign. You have my permission to share, interact, and promote this in any way your heart desires, I even encourage it. I will make myself available to anyone who may have some questions or concerns, so please don’t hesitate to reach out. 

Links to MurphsLife’s work:
Instagram 
Youtube 
TikTok 
Official Website 

Links to Mraam’s work:
TikTok 

Links to Jesús’s work:
TikTok 
YouTube 

Amanda Trivizas:
Instagram: @AmandaTrivizas

Disclaimer:
The race I will be running in has no affiliation with my fundraising campaign. This is 100% something I am doing on my own accord. They are not responsible for anything pertaining to my actions.