Causes: Amateur Sports, Recreation & Sports, Sports

Mission: Achilles International’s mission is to enable people with all types of disabilities to participate in mainstream athletics, with a focus on distance running.   Achilles promotes personal achievement, enhanced self-esteem, improved health and fitness, and lowers barriers between disparate types of people.

Results: Achilles hosts an annual Hope & Possibility 5 Mile Race where 5,000 able bodied and disabled people participate together. 200 Achilles athletes with all kinds of disabilities compete each year in the ING NYC Marathon.   Achilles also participates in the Marathon Tour, which features 14 mainstream races throughout the country.

Target demographics: people with disabilities of all ages from all walks of life; combat injured veterans from OEF and OIF, as well as veterans from prior wars such as Vietnam and Korea; non combat injured veterans with disabilities

Direct beneficiaries per year: 10,000

Geographic areas served: HQ in NYC chapters throughout the US and worldwide

Programs: The Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans helps service personnel injured in Iraq and Afghanistan or in earlier wars such as Vietnam to train, be active, compete and achieve. Achilles Kids is in 150 public and private schools; 2,000 children with disabilities run, walk or roll throughout the year with the goal of completing 26.2 miles. The Achilles Tri team develops multi-sport athletes.