Sharyn O’Halloran serves Columbia University as the George Blumenthal Professor of Political Economics. Beyond her work as an educator, Sharyn O’Halloran pursues ways of giving back to the New York City community and staying in shape, ultimately combining the two by training for and running the New York City Marathon.
Individuals running in the TCS New York City Marathon have an opportunity to compete on behalf of numerous charities, including several philanthropic organizations with close community ties. Some of these community groups include area schools, the New York City Ballet, and local chapters of national charities like the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and the Boy Scouts of America.
Team for Kids is one of three Gold Charities supported by the NYC Marathon. Runners who contribute to Team for Kids not only enjoy automatic entry into the marathon, but also play an important role in raising funds for various New York Road Runners (NYRR) youth programs. Additional Gold Charities include NYRR Community Champions, which constitutes a near-$2,700 donation to NYRR community projects by each runner, and Fred’s Team, a group benefiting cancer research programs.