Whitman-Walker’s Walk & 5K to End HIV is Saturday, Sept. 20
The 39th annual event aims to raise $500,000 to support Whitman-Walker’s HIV testing, outreach, prevention, and treatment services.
Whitman-Walker will host its 39th annual Walk & 5K to End HIV at Anacostia Park on Saturday, Sept. 20.
The event, which has served as the health organization’s chief fundraiser for nearly four decades, brings together thousands of residents and local businesses — some as corporate sponsors or fund-matching partners — to raise money for Whitman-Walker’s patient services.
This year marks the fourth time the event has been held east of the Anacostia River, in Southeast D.C., where many of Whitman-Walker’s patients live and where HIV rates remain among the highest in the city.
On-site registration begins at 8 a.m. at Anacostia Park. Participation in the walk is free, though those who donate or raise $35 will receive a T-shirt. Entry for the 5K race is $35 and includes a T-shirt and a running bib with electronic timing technology.
A community warm-up led by race organizers and trainers begins at 8:30 a.m., followed by remarks from local leaders and advocates sharing stories of hope from patients who have benefited from Whitman-Walker’s services.
The 5K run kicks off at 8:45 a.m., with the walk starting five minutes later. Afterward, participants can enjoy music from DJ Alex Love, with emcee duties shared by NBC4’s Chuck Bell and iHeartRadio 99.5 FM host Shelby Sos.
Proceeds support Whitman-Walker’s HIV and STI testing and prevention programs, including medical interventions like pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis, community outreach to encourage testing, and comprehensive health services for those living with HIV.
About 2% of District residents are living with HIV, many of whom receive care at Whitman-Walker’s Logan Circle and Anacostia locations. Many more remain undiagnosed. Preventing the spread of HIV depends on people knowing their status, seeking treatment, and achieving “undetectable” viral levels, which make it far less likely to transmit the virus, even through sexual contact.
“One of the things that’s important about the investment in the Walk to End HIV is that it enables us to reach out to people in the community who are most at risk,” says Ted Miller, executive director of the Whitman-Walker Foundation, the center’s philanthropic arm.
“People may have an HIV diagnosis, or may need resources to ensure prevention on a number of fronts. But in addition to getting that information, they’re put into a pipeline and able to come in to get the care they need, whether that’s a primary care physician, mental health or behavioral health services, legal services, or dentistry. So when you support the Walk to End HIV, you’re enabling us to have the infrastructure necessary to reach people and not only address the needs they have related to HIV, but connect them with other health care services as well.”
Miller noted that Whitman-Walker is among the HIV service providers that have lost federal funding due to recent political shifts. Organizers hope to raise $525,000 from the event, but Miller emphasized that even those facing financial hardship are welcome to join the walk.
“Even if you’re someone who’s been affected by federal layoffs or job loss, we want you at Anacostia Park, because you’re part of our community, and there’s power in numbers and power in community,” he says. “The walk is really an opportunity to thank our supporters, and for us to remind people of the importance of continuing the progress we’ve been able to make in preventing and treating HIV.”
The Walk and 5K to End HIV is Saturday, September 20, at Anacostia Park, 1500 Anacostia Drive SE, next to the roller-skating pavilion. Attendees can take the Green Line to Anacostia Metro and board the free Anacostia BID “Art to Go-Go” shuttle, which runs every five minutes between 7 and 8 a.m. and again after the roads reopen at 9:30 a.m. For details, to donate, or to register, visit www.walktoendhiv.org.
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