Jen Mooney
Pembroke, MA
My Why
I’m honored to run the 129th Boston Marathon with this incredible foundation. In 2022, my cousin Lauren and I ran the NYC Marathon with the Herren Project in memory of her brother Kevin. A month later, our cousin Chris passed away. Not only were Kevin and Chris cousins, they were best friends. This run is dedicated to them. We all love and miss them so much.
Additionally, I’ve spent the last 12 years working in child protection. I have worked with countless families who have been impacted by addiction. When addiction is left unaddressed and untreated, the impacts on the whole family can be devastating.
Through this work, I have also seen the most amazing success stories—parents who seek treatment and recover and families reunified. It’s not an easy feat, but when people feel safe, supported, and have access to treatment, they can do so much. Bearing witness to these inspiring recovery stories has been one of the most rewarding parts of the job.
Over the past year, I have been working in the system with teenagers. Our youth are struggling with chronic marijuana use, alcohol use, and vaping, and some are even caught up in drug trafficking. I spend a lot of my time worrying about them and wondering how to reach them. They amaze me every day with their strength and resilience despite the incredible challenges they have faced in their young lives.
Youth prevention is very important to the Herren Project, with their Youth Ambassadors dedicated to making positive changes for teens in their communities. A value that we share and a big part of my why for running this year. There must be continued efforts towards prevention, access to treatment, and ongoing support for our youth. The reality is that the system is completely under-resourced, and access to substance use treatment for teens is extremely limited. I hope that over time, this will change and improve, and our kids will have the resources they need.
I’m so grateful to be a part of the Herren Project team and to represent their mission. It is important to keep working together to reduce stigma and ensure there is access to treatment and support for those in need, as well as their families. Supporting our youth is a community effort, and I hope you will consider donating. Your support is greatly appreciated. Let’s keep spreading the message that recovery is possible.
Hammer Down!
