Running to Help Others
Mark your calendars for the 2026 Bunny Hop--April 11
The 8th Arlington Bunny Hop was a huge success!
Many thanks for participating in the BUNNY HOP 2025! Increased sponsorships made a huge difference. 638 registered. After the final accounting, the HOP raised $31,000 for Bridges to Independence making a total of $164,000 for Arlington charities over the past eight years.
Here's a celebratory picture of the check presentation to Bridges and also of a display quilt made from race t-shirts from our races from 2018-2025.
Results are HERE and here's a VIDEO and PICTURES of our 2025 race.
=========================================
The Arlington Bunny Hop 5K is a fun, family oriented, charity 5K race and fun run/walk that raises money for local charities. We will have finish line medals for all registered participants and also age group place medals.
There is a block party afterwards with activities geared toward "kids of all ages." There are many serious runners as well. The race is managed by volunteers, and all proceeds go to a local charity (see below).
When: Saturday, April 26, 2025 at 8:00 a.m.
Where: Clarendon United Methodist Church, 606 N. Irving Street, Arlington, VA 22201
Who: Competitive runners, fitness/frequent runners, joggers/recreational runners and walkers/strollers.
Children's Activities: A Bounce House and other children's activities will be available after the race.
Costumes: Costumes are welcome and encouraged for this fun, family event. Medals will be awarded to three finishers with the best costumes.
Cutoff date for guaranteed t-shirt sizes is 11:59 p.m. ET, Sunday, April 6 (to allow lead time for printing and shipping). For registrations after April 6, shirts will be on a first come, first served basis at packet pickup.
Over the past seven years, the Bunny Hop has raised over $131,600 for Arlington Charities ($23,500 in 2024). For 2025, our beneficiary will be Bridges to Independence. Bridges works hard to make Arlington a better place for all and to break inter-generational cycles of poverty. We are thrilled to support them. Funds donated through the Bunny Hop are channeled to Bridges' Youth Support Programs at their family shelter near Clarendon and their services center located in Green Valley.
Bridges' Youth Programs include:
Kids Empowered which leverages partnerships with various community organizations to provide fun and empowering activities such as arts and crafts. The program includes STEM nights and guitar and swimming lessons for youth of all ages.
Bright Bridges is a community mentoring and tutoring program that pairs school-aged youth with adult volunteer mentors who help with homework, reading, and other activities.
Kick Start Kids is a summer program that involves kid's entrepreneurship. Children learn how to run a business as well as create and market their own product. Then, they engage in pop-up sales activities selling crafts at community business locations in order to teach decision making, salesmanship and management.
The Youth Leadership Academy serves high school aged youth to teach confidence and leadership through one-on-one mentoring, seminars, and paid summer internships.