Kind Stride is a fundraising program supporting passionate athletes interested in promoting awareness of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit of their choice. Organizational criteria for inclusion in our Kind Stride Program:

• Have an emphasis on running.
• Must be a 501 (c)(3).
• Be relevant to the Houston running community.

The Houston Half Marathon & 10K will consider any non-profit that meets the above criteria.  Please have a representative of that non-profit contact us at info@houstonhalf.com so they can be set up in the Houston Half Kind Stride Program.

About the Kind Stride Program
The Houston Half Kind Stride Program will match donations up to a cumulative amount of $25,000 from our registered runners across all our charities.  That is, if the runner donates $10 to the Kind Stride charity of their choice, we will match it with an additional $10 and thus double the donation in the form of supplemental support.  If we receive over $25,000 in total donations, we will allocate matching rates based on a prorated amount equal the percent of total donations not to exceed $25,000.

2026 Kind Stride Charities

Achilles International Houston

The vision of Achilles started in 1983 when Dick Traum became the first amputee to complete a marathon. He started the Achilles Track Club in Manhattan to support other disabled athletes with their goals. Over the next 30 years, Achilles grew into an international organization with chapters in over 65 locations across the world. In January 2013, Houston opened a local chapter and has been running strong since!

Our mission is to enable people with all types of disabilities to participate in mainstream athletics in order to promote personal achievement, enhance self-esteem, and lower barriers to living a fulfilling life.

Learn more here.

(Source: Achilles International Houston Website) 

Bel Inizio

Located in Houston, Texas, Bel Inizio, 501(c)3, helps disadvantaged women develop self-confidence and life skills through fitness and nutrition. Participants train to complete a 5K, which helps prepare them for the ultimate race — the race for a better life.

Houston has a generous giving community and great compassion for those in need. We have emergency shelters, transitional housing, and half-way houses. The agencies offer case workers, recovery programs, and job skills training. What gets lost, and is critically needed, is helping individuals achieve the self esteem and confidence that can come from an ongoing exercise and nutrition program.

Bel Inizio (Beautiful Beginning in Italian) was launched to help meet this need. We are currently working with women from the Santa Maria Hostel in Spring Branch. Our participants are women ranging from their 20s to their 50s. They are female veterans who had a variety of challenges from sexual abuse, substance and alcohol abuse and homelessness. Most are in recovery, and all are working hard to re-enter the community. And now many have the opportunity to succeed in a way which they never thought possible: they will set a healthy goal and achieve it.

Bel Inizio teams train to complete a 5K, and in the process learn about commitment, fitness, and nutrition. They see healthy behaviors in action and are offered tools to help them succeed once they are out on their own. Bel Inizio shows each woman that they matter. We help prepare them for the ultimate race — the race for a better life.

Learn more here.

(Source: Bel Inizio Website)

Team Catapult

Turning disabilities into capabilities.

Team Catapult is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that aims to catapult physically challenged individuals over adversity and into the world of endurance sports.

We serve through funding, training and advocacy. Catapult welcomes beginners improving mental and physical health to Paralympic athletes and hopefuls.

(Source: Team Catapult Website)

Girls on the Run Greater Houston

Girls on the Run Greater Houston empowers young girls to build confidence, develop healthy habits, and discover their inner strength through a fun, evidence-based program that combines running with life skills. Serving communities across Greater Houston, the program helps girls grow into confident leaders who are prepared to navigate challenges both on and off the course.

Your support helps provide scholarships, resources, and access to this transformative experience for girls of all backgrounds. Every donation makes a direct impact - giving more girls the opportunity to participate, connect, and realize their full potential.

Join us in inspiring the next generation of strong, confident girls.

Houston Striders

Houston Striders is dedicated to building a healthier, more active community through running. As a volunteer-driven organization, they create opportunities for runners and walkers of all ages and abilities to participate in safe, well-organized events throughout the Houston area.

Your support helps make these events accessible, affordable, and impactful—funding course safety, community programming, and outreach initiatives that encourage people to stay active and connected. Every donation helps strengthen the local running community and ensures these events continue to thrive.

Join us in supporting Houston Striders and keeping our community moving.

Kids Run the Nation

The Kids Run the Nation program, developed by the RRCA, is dedicated to supporting and growing youth running programs in schools and communities nationwide. Since its launch in 1986, we’ve distributed thousands of curriculum guides and awarded over $385,000 in grants to programs of all sizes—helping kids across the country discover the joy and lifelong benefits of running.

The Kids Run the Nation program is available to schools, before- and after-school programs, community centers, shelters, nonprofits, and anyone committed to promoting physical activity and healthy lifestyles among youth.

If you’re passionate about getting kids excited about running and helping them develop lifelong fitness habits, Kids Run the Nation is for you!

(Source: Kids Run the Nation via Road Runners Club of America Website)

Memorial Park Conservancy

A SHARED PASSION FOR THE PARK

Whether for recreation or simply enjoying the outdoors, over four million people have access to Memorial Park each year. The Park is a magical combination of amenities and nature, recreation and respite. Centrally located, commuters drive through winding, wooded roads, free of billboards and commerce, as they head to work. Thirty miles of hiking trails provide a respite from urban life, while local sports enthusiasts flock to the Park’s many amenities and facilities. Through sustained leadership, meaningful investment and strategic efforts, Memorial Park Conservancy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, protects, restores and preserves Memorial Park for the enjoyment of all Houstonians, today and tomorrow. We work in collaboration with Houston Parks and Recreation Department. We believe the quality of life in Houston is directly impacted by the quality of its parks.

Learn more here.

(Source: Memorial Park Conservancy Website)

Reach Out and Read - Texas

Reach Out and Read - Texas, Part of the Children's Learning Institute at UTHealth Houston, is  a national pediatric literacy program dedicated to making early literacy a standard part of pediatric primary healthcare. Reach Out and Read prepares America’s youngest children to succeed by partnering with doctors to prescribe books and encourage families to read together. Annually, the Texas branch of Reach Out and Read serves more than 400,000 children in the state.

The Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park

The Heritage Society (THS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to tell the stories of the diverse history of Houston and Texas through collections, exhibits, educational programs, film, video, and other content. Founded in 1954 by a number of public-spirited Houstonians to rescue the 1847 Kellum-Noble House from demolition, The Heritage Society has since saved an additional nine historic buildings, moved them from various locations to join the Kellum-Noble House in Sam Houston Park, and restored them to reflect their respective eras. These ten buildings, along with the Museum Gallery, serve as historic reference points and exhibition spaces for more than 23,000 artifacts that document life in Houston from the early 1800s to the mid-1900s.

Learn more here.

(Source: The Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park Website)