Meet the runners taking on the 130th Boston Marathon to raise funds for FriendshipWorks!

Training for 26.2 miles takes determination. Running to reduce isolation takes heart. 

On April 20, 2026, four dedicated runners are taking on the Boston Marathon on behalf of FriendshipWorks to help ensure that older adults in Greater Boston can age with connection, dignity, and joy. Their miles will help support programs that connect older adults with caring volunteers for weekly Friendly Visting and Medical Escort support, while also bringing joy through PetPals visits and live MusicWorks performances.

We are deeply grateful to Sarah, Estee, and Jennifer for using their Boston Marathon journey to shine a light on social isolation and loneliness and to help build a community where no one has to age alone. As a qualified runner, our own Executive Director Kyle Robidoux will also be using his bib to raise funds for FriendshipWorks.  

Join us by cheering them on, sharing their stories and running pages, or by making a donation.

Can't decide which runner to support? Click on the Donate Now button on this page and your contribution will still be counted toward the Marathon fundraising campaign.

Thank you for ensuring that older adults in Greater Boston are connected and thriving in their communities!

Thank you to City of Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and City Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune for their generosity in giving us this opportunity. It reaffirms their belief in our mission to help create a city where no one has to age alone.

About FriendshipWorks

FriendshipWorks’ mission is to reduce social isolation, enhance the quality of life, and preserve the dignity of older adults in Greater Boston. FriendshipWorks has more than four decades of experience recruiting, training, and placing volunteers to provide support and assistance to elders. 

Programming includes Friendly Visting, MusicWorks, PetPals, and Medical Escorts. They believe people, pets, and music are inherent to the human soul and provide support for isolated older adults throughout Boston, Brookline, Newton, Somerville, and Cambridge.

Thank you for considering this meaningful way to partner with FriendshipWorks. Together, we can make Greater Boston a model for compassionate, connected, and inclusive aging.