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At mile 20 of her marathon, Katie Keilholtz was ready to stop.
Her legs were burning. The finish line still felt impossibly far away. But then she remembered Edward, an Oasis graduate she’d met at a Team Oasis pre-race dinner. Edward had survived a childhood no child should endure and built a hopeful future on the other side of it.
Then Katie looked up.
There he was on the sidelines, holding a sign and cheering her on.
In that moment, she thought: If he can survive what he survived and become who he became, I can finish this race.
So she did.
That’s what running with Team Oasis feels like. Not just a marathon. A mission.
Every year, thousands of runners search for a charity partner for races like the Chicago Marathon, Berlin Marathon, Tokyo Marathon, and other major events around the world.
Most are looking for two things:
With Team Oasis, they find both and often something even bigger.
Team Oasis is the fundraising running community of Oasis for Orphans, a nonprofit serving orphaned and vulnerable children in Southwest Kenya. Since the first runners joined the team, they’ve raised more than $1 million to support children in need. The community continues to grow every year, with runners returning race after race and introducing friends and family to the mission.
But what runners talk about most isn’t the fundraising total.
It’s the people.
“I’m so thankful to be part of this charity. Not only because of the mission but also because of the attention and support I feel as a runner. This is truly the best charity I have worked with.”
- Jenny Galvan, Team Oasis Runner
Because Oasis for Orphans is a smaller nonprofit, the experience feels personal. Staff members know runners by name, answer emails themselves, and support every athlete from the first training run to the finish line.
Every Team Oasis runner receives:
And perhaps most importantly, a community that believes in them.
Half of every Team Oasis roster is made up of first-time marathoners. Whether you’re chasing a personal best, running your first 5K, or tackling a World Marathon Major, there’s a place for you on the team.
In six counties of rural Southwest Kenya, there are an estimated 110,000 orphaned children. Oasis for Orphans currently provides holistic care for more than 400 children and works every day to reach more.
That word holistic matters.
At Oasis, care goes beyond food and shelter. The organization invests in every area of a child’s development:
Every child is known by name, treated as an individual, and supported in building a hopeful future.
The mission is simple and powerful:
Every child grows up knowing they are loved by God and enabled to build a hopeful future.
Fundraising through Team Oasis helps make that possible in tangible ways, covering essentials like meals, housing, education, medical care, emotional support, and mentorship for children who would otherwise have little or no safety net.
Why Runners Keep Coming BackAsk Team Oasis runners why they chose this charity over hundreds of others, and you’ll hear the same thing over and over:
It felt personal.
For Moe King, who started running at 46 with the goal of completing all six World Marathon Majors before turning 60, the mission hit close to home.
“I could’ve run with any charity, but I am proud to run with Team Oasis. The fact that I’ve raised money for a cause that will impact a child who is less fortunate… is very rewarding to me.”
- Moe King, Team Oasis Runner
For Andrew Moment, the connection came through faith, family, and his own experiences in Kenya.
“Oasis for Orphans immediately stood out. I love that Oasis takes a holistic approach and puts education at the heart of their mission.”
- Andrew Moment, Team Oasis Runner
Alice Yu, a September 11 survivor who escaped from the 71st floor of Tower Two, was drawn to Oasis’s long-term impact.
“They don’t just meet physical needs like food and shelter. They also invest deeply in education, emotional healing, and spiritual growth.”
- Alice Yu, Team Oasis Runner
And for Yvonne Lutsch, the mission came down to opportunity.
“No child’s destiny should be poverty. Every mile I run and every dollar donated helps break that cycle.”
- Yvonne Lutsch, Team Oasis Runner
Again and again, runners describe the same thing: this feels bigger than a race.
From Chicago to Berlin, from Tokyo to hometown half marathons, Team Oasis runners take on events around the world with one shared purpose: changing lives through every mile.
Some runners join to earn a World Marathon Major medal. Others are signing up for their very first race. Some are lifelong athletes. Others never imagined they could complete a marathon until they found a reason big enough to try.
What connects them is the belief that running can be about more than personal achievement.
When you run with Team Oasis, every training run, every fundraising page share, and every finish line helps create opportunities for children in Kenya to access education, stability, care, and hope for the future.
And when mile 20 arrives, that reason matters.
Whether you’re training for your first race or planning your next major marathon, Team Oasis welcomes runners of every pace, background, and experience level.
Because once people run with Oasis, they come back.
And they bring their friends.
To learn more about Team Oasis and learn more about upcoming events, click here.
