More than 100 community members, families, youth volunteers, and supporters gathered at the Manalapan Recreation Center Fitness Trail for the Akshaya Patra Tri-State 5K Walk & Run, June 7, 2026, in a bid to raise awareness and support for The Akshaya Patra Foundation’s mission of providing nutritious meals to children and enabling access to education.
The family-friendly event brought participants of all ages for a morning focused on health, service, and community impact, organizers said in a June 13 press release. Activities included a gentle yoga warm-up led by Sonali Dalvi, Yoga Instructor, followed by an energetic Bollywood fitness session led by Amit Shah, Bollywood Fitness Coach and Founder & Director of Aatma Performing Arts, before participants set off on the 5K walk/run.
Manalapan Deputy Mayor Susan Cohen was a Special Guest.
Founder and Head Coach of Runners High with Bala, Bala Sankaran, was the Chief Guest. Sankara also inspired participants through his leadership and commitment to fitness and community engagement.
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The walkathon was led by Manjiri Subhedar, Akshaya Patra Tri-State Grassroots & Social Engagement Lead, who organized the event with the support of a dedicated team of volunteers.
“We are grateful to everyone who participated and supported this event,” said Subhedar. “Their generosity will help provide nutritious meals and support education for children in need.”
Akshaya Patra also recognized Sonali Dalvi, Amit Shah, and Roopali, the event photographer, for generously providing their professional services pro bono in support of the cause.
Akshaya Patra thanked its Youth Ambassadors, “whose enthusiasm, volunteer spirit, and commitment to service helped make the event a success,” organizers said. It especially thanked Mohan Kumar, Akshaya Patra Tri-State Youth Ambassadors Lead, “for inspiring and coordinating this outstanding group of young leaders, who represent the future of Akshaya Patra and its mission to end classroom hunger.”
The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating classroom hunger and supporting education through nutritious school meal programs. The organization serves more than 2.3 million children daily with these meals.