Named after his group’s hit 1986 collaboration with Aerosmith, Run-D.M.C.’s Daryl “DMC” McDaniels’ Walk This Way fundraiser will be held May 17 at Pier 45 in New York’s Hudson River Park. Proceeds from the 5K walkathon will benefit the Felix Organization, a nonprofit supporting children in New York’s foster care system.
Beyond the 5K, the event will offer a picnic celebration with a live DJ and raffles. The Felix Organization was founded by McDaniels and Emmy-winning casting director Sheila Jaffe. The two collaborated after bonding over their shared experiences as children in foster care.
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“This is our fifth annual ‘Walk This Way,’ but Felix has been walking this way for kids since Sheila and I met almost 20 years ago,” says McDaniels. “We’ve learned that it doesn’t take a village – it takes a galaxy!”
In 2006, the organization launched a flagship summer camp, Camp Felix, in upstate New York, and has added six others on both coasts, including Camp Felix Pride (the first of its kind serving LGBTQ+ youth in foster care). Most recently, the Felix Organization collaborated with a soon-to-be-announced nonprofit to launch a new, weeklong overnight performing arts camp in Kent, Connecticut, specifically designed for kids in foster care.
The Felix Organization has also expanded its year-round holistic support for children, as the need for local and national assistance has become more critical. More than 18,000 children in the foster care system have participated. In its 19 years, the organization has raised approximately $9 million.
“Darryl and I are determined to make things happen for all children, so we planted a seed and a tree grew,” says Jaffe. “Now, the Felix Organization is cultivating our forest.”
During the walkathon, the Felix Organization will honor Renee Culbertson, founder of Black Mothers Speak, with its Dream Maker Award, and Naima Fredricks, a Felix alumnus, with the Future Dream Maker Award. Past honorees have included actress Lorraine Bracco, and celebrity supporters have included Mark Wahlberg, Billy Joel, Alan Cumming, Michael Imperioli, Carol Kane and Rosie Perez.
“Children in foster care face tremendous challenges to their success,” says Amanda Ricken Simonetta, the Felix Organization’s executive director. “Felix provides a supportive community and prepares them to become tomorrow’s leaders. It has been said that we all do better when we all do better. That’s what Felix is all about.”
The organization’s goal is to raise $200,000 from Walk This Way. At deadline, they’d received $110,000. To register for the 5K or to donate, visit www.WalkThisWayforKids.org.
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