Team CASA is accepting applications to be on our charity team for the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon! Members of our team use the incredible experience of training for and running one of the world’s largest marathons to raise awareness and funds for the most vulnerable individuals in Chicago–children in the Cook County foster care system who have experienced abuse and/or neglect. We are grateful to the Bank of American Chicago Marathon who has selected CASA of Cook County as a charity team who is allocated some of the 10,000 slots that are reserved for charity runners who agree to raise funds in exchange for a guaranteed marathon entry. 

Team CASA runners are asked to reach for the goal of raising $2,500, or the cost of providing CASA services for one child in foster care for one year. Runners directly impact the lives of children who will receive individual advocacy in court by a trained CASA volunteer. The advocacy that they receive has been shown to shorten the time they are in foster care and ensure they receive needed medical, educational, and social services while in care. The ultimate goal of CASA is to help each child find a safe, permanent home. The trajectory of these children’s lives are changed because they have a committed adult CASA volunteer who is with them throughout the most traumatic time in their lives.

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon requires that charity runners understand that their guaranteed entry into the event is in exchange for their commitment to raise a minimum of $1,750 for the charity. All charity runners must also comply with all charity rules and regulations.