50K for 50K

Hi my name is Dennis Serna and I am a first-generation immigrant from Colombia, born and raised in Queens, NY. On December 20th, 2020, with the help of the NYC running community, I will be attempting to run in the perimeter of Manhattan in the Fastest Known Time (FKT) to raise $50,000 for the Council of People's Organization (COPO) which aims "To assist low-income immigrant families, particularly South Asians and Muslims, to reach their full potential as residents of New York City."

My older brother and I grew up in a modest apartment in Astoria and where we were fortunate enough to have parents who are both loving and hard-working: as far back as I can remember my father held two full-time jobs so that my mother could be home to look after my brother and me and make sure we were well-fed. And that they did: every morning my mom made us breakfast and packed our lunches before my brother and I went to school and my dad went to work. And when we all got back home around 330 dinner was usually ready. We tried to have meals together as a family but it rarely happened because my dad was usually out the door by 430 to make it to his second job in Manhattan (where we worked until midnight) and my brother would get home a little after I did because in 7th grade he was commuting to the upper east side for school. We made it work though and looking back, I can honestly so I had a very happy childhood. In fact, I was reminded just how fortunate a childhood I had when I listened to The NY Times Daily podcast episode titled 'A Day at the Food Pantry' the day before Thanksgiving. We never relied on food stamps or had to wait in line at a food pantry but for the duration of my mother's pregnancy (with me) my family received federal assistance via WIC,  a program of the Food and Nutrition Service of the USDA for healthcare and nutrition of low-income pregnant women. This episode(/this pandemic) made me realize that had my dad lost his job(s) or fallen ill we could have been in rough shape. Hearing the stories of these New Yorkers who wait in line as early as 4am for hours for something to eat just caused tears to well up in my eyes. According to the New York Mission Society, the number of NYC residents experiencing food insecurity can increase by 38% by the end of the year. As temperatures begin to drop, the number of those unemployed and affected by a second wave of COVID-19 will spike and "the city could see food scarcity comparable to the Great Depression." 

I invite everyone to join me in this effort by donating what you can or joining me for a few miles on 12/20. If you are not in a position to donate $, you can still help by amplifying this message across your social networks. Thank you and God Bless.


"Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others."