By Raye Mocioiu
On her 53rd birthday this year, award-winning actress and longtime Save the Children ambassador and trustee, Jennifer Garner, set out to run one mile a day for 67 days as a personal challenge.
“Happy birthday to me! As I enter a new year, I feel compelled to do something, to put my feet on the ground for kids,” Garner wrote in the caption to her birthday post announcing the challenge. “I have been feeling helpless about the world hunger crisis. Millions of children are suffering from acute malnutrition, and 16,000 children are at immediate risk of dying from preventable causes.”
When she achieved her goal on June 22nd, she made her personal goal a global one, passing the baton (so to speak) to kick off a global relay race for change, one mile, one dollar, and one child at a time.
Save the Children US launched #67Strong4Kids in partnership with Garner to combat severe acute malnutrition and support life-saving programs for children around the world.
In a video post explaining the global challenge, Garner shared: “I had an idea! I’m gonna run a mile a day for the next 67 days. Sixty-seven dollars to save the life of a child who is suffering from life-threatening childhood malnutrition with a six- week course of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), to take a child from severe acute malnutrition to health and life.”
The Cost of Hope
Garner’s #67Strong4Kids challenge saw her run a mile a day for 67 days, inviting participants to get moving for 67 days. The numbers matter here—a $67 donation is the cost of a six-week course of RUTF, enough to bring a severely malnourished child back to health. It’s a small investment that can change a life forever.
Changemakers took on their own 67-day personal challenges, including everything from running, biking, dancing, drawing, meditating, and more, to raise awareness and encourage others to donate, join in, and share their efforts.
For 67 days, several notable influencers also inspired their followers to join the movement, creating a continuous relay of compassion across the country. But this isn’t just for celebrities. Americans of all ages and abilities were encouraged to “go the extra mile” in whatever way moves them.
Everyone was invited to create their own #67Strong4Kids challenge and help reach the campaign’s goal of supporting over 110,000 children globally.
“Whether you walk, draw, knit, or dance, every extra mile helps,” shared Garner. “Together, we can give thousands of kids a chance at life.”
A Preventable Crisis
With the impacts of climate change, conflict, and economic instability, more than 16,000 children are currently at risk of dying every day from hunger-related causes. One in five deaths among children under age five is linked to severe acute malnutrition. This sta- tistic is harrowing on its own, but it’s made worse when you consider that malnutrition is entirely preventable. Campaigns like this one put things in perspective, showing us how small the numbers really are and how significant the impact can be.
“If one of my kids was hungry at night, I couldn’t sleep,” Garner said in an emotional video launching the campaign. “So I can’t sleep knowing thousands of kids around the world are suffering needlessly. I had to do something, and I hope you will too.”
A dedicated ambassador and board trustee for over 15 years, Garner has worked to expand early childhood education programs in rural America, advocated on Capitol Hill, and co-founded the organic kids’ food company Once Upon a Farm, which itself has pledged to deliver one million nutritious meals to kids in food-insecure communities across the U.S., a goal achieved in partnership with Save the Children this past October.
“Jen has been an extraordinary champion for Save the Children,” said the organization’s Chief Impact Officer Betsy Zorio. “Her unwavering dedication to children’s well-being, especially in rural America, has elevated our work tremendously. She has helped shine a light on under-resourced communities, the challenges they face, and their resilience. From launching #SaveWithStories during the pandemic to partnering with Save the Children on the ‘A Million Meals’ initiative through Once Upon a Farm, she has used her voice to drive real change. She doesn’t just advocate, she shows up, listens, and leads with heart. We are deeply grateful for her partnership and inspired by her commitment to ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive as learners and in life.”
Garner’s #67Strong4Kids challenge raised more than $500,000 in its first run, proving just how far a single idea and a single step can go. Even better, her steps inspired other changemakers to do the same, like elite runner Becs Gentry, who joined Garner in her final run in June.
“There are two things I love: giving back to the world and running. And #67Strong4Kids with Save the Children combines them for me,” said Gentry, who started supporting Save the Children as a child. “Forward is a pace, and each one of us can find our own way to raise awareness and gather support for kids who are suffering from this treatable condition.”
Other notable celebrities who participated in personal challenges to “go the extra mile” and leveraged their social media to raise awareness for kids include Reese Witherspoon, Hugh Jackman, and Kerry Washington, to name a few.
Every Step Counts
Save the Children has been on the front lines of this crisis for over a century, delivering emergency nutrition, clean water, and healthcare to children worldwide. But the need has never been greater, and the demand continues to outpace the supply.
Backed by a growing list of changemakers, #67Strong4Kids is a rallying cry for collective action. Children shouldn’t be dying, and this campaign is a powerful and doable way to make a difference, especially since there’s no wrong way to get involved. Athletes, readers, artists, and changemakers can get involved in ways that bring out their inner advocate.
“#67Strong4Kids is more than a campaign, it’s a call to action and a powerful reminder that individual action can drive global action,” said Save the Children US CEO Janti Soeripto. “Every mile, every dollar brings us closer to a world where no child suffers from hunger. As always, we’re proud and thankful for Jen’s support and the community she’s rallied to stand strong for kids. Lending her platforms to a cause like this amplifies our message in transformative ways.”
Joining the #67Strong4Kids challenge is as easy as choosing an activity that resonates with you and doing it for 67 days, or even just one day, with purpose. No action is too small. What matters is making a commitment and using your voice to raise awareness to give children a chance at a future.
Join the #67Strong4Kids Challenge
Visit savethechildren.org/us/ways-to-help/67Strong4Kids to donate, sign up, or create a personalized fundraising page. Share your journey using #67Strong4Kids and inspire your community to take action by creating your own challenge and tagging @savethechildren!
“Our 67 runs may be behind us,” said Garner, “but the race for kids’ futures is ongoing.” Let’s keep it going, one step at a time.
