As I look back on the years since the start of Annie’s Locker, I am amazed at how far we have come in such a short time. What began as a promise to run for a friend, who later died of cancer, has ignited into a non-profit that has inspired and equipped thousands of individuals in need.

Annie’s Locker began with a pile of running gear donations stacked up in my basement in 2008. Since then our team has provided thousands of fitness gear items, hundreds of Race Sponsorships, over 1,500 pairs of new gym shoes to Rockford Public School district children and The Annie’s locker Fitness Center at the Rockford Rescue Mission. That simple idea to run for a friend in need is now the HEART of Annie’s Locker, a growing movement that we call Running For Two. We continue to operate under the Rockford Road Runners who have been tremendous advocates for what we do.

Annie’s Locker would not be what it is today without Terri Odell, our Vice President and co-creator! Terri’s BIG project ideas have taken Annie’s Locker to a whole new level. We are also blessed with a stellar board of directors. This team of volunteers have put in countless hours to provide an amazing service to our community.

I am thankful to all our friends, volunteers and supporters for making so much possible. Thanks to you we can continue to serve so many people in need. Annie’s Locker is about inspiring people, building community and caring for those who are struggling. We hope to ignite a spark for our recipients as well as our donors and volunteers and we continue to be inspired.

I am especially grateful to our recipients for inspiring me. It is a powerful thing to watch them gain confidence to accomplish a goal and do something they never thought they could do. It is a joy to witness their victories and an added bonus when our supporters contribute to our cause. This helps us follow our dreams to keep reaching out to more people that are in need. We are making connections and reaching people on a personal level, and that is what matters most.

We hope to TRANSFORM ROCKFORD into a healthier city, and with your help, continue to Inspire and Equip people toward healthier lives.

Shine On,

Carol Bingley
Annie’s Locker Founder