NIJC Community for Immigrant Justice 5K

Join us for the 8th Annual National Immigrant Justice Center's Community for Immigrant Justice 5K, in person or virtually! Join us on race day, Saturday, November 7, 2026 in Goshen, Indiana, or do your favorite trail or route near you anytime during our race week through Saturday, November 14, 2026. Come together with community members around the country in this event to support immigrants and fund life-changing legal services. We are facing unprecedented challenges with cuts to funding for legal services and threats to the safety and wellbeing of our community members. Your partnership is critical in ensuring we can continue our vital work and remain strong and nimble despite the many challenges we face. We are offering special discounted registration rates for children and students. This event is led by NIJC's team in our Goshen office.

How do I become a fundraiser for the NIJC 5K for Immigrant Justice?

When you register for the 5K (visit our website at immigrantjustice.org/5K and click the “Sign Up” button), your individual fundraiser campaign is automatically created. All you have to do is personalize your page, reach out to your networks, and start raising money to help immigrants and refugees (keep reading to find out how to do that)! If you want to become a fundraiser without participating in the 5K, that’s great too! On the website, go to the “Donate” dropdown in the top menu and click “Become a Fundraiser,” and then complete the form. We'll give awards and special recognition to our top fundraisers!

How do I edit my page and goal?

To edit your page and goal, visit immigrantjustice.org/5K and click the profile icon in the upper right corner. Log in to your account, go to your profile, then scroll down until you see "Fundraising." Click "Edit Fundraiser" to edit the content, goal, or fundraising URL. We encourage you to personalize the default fundraising message on the page and add a personal experience or story about why you’re participating (just remember to respect folks' privacy if you're sharing any details about anyone else), and tell the world why this cause is important to you.

How do I find the URL to my fundraising page?

To find your fundraising page URL, visit immigrantjustice.org/5K and click the profile icon in the upper right corner. Log in to your account, go to your profile, then scroll down until you see "Fundraising." Right click to copy your fundraising URL. Make sure you include this link in your outreach for donations!

How can I join or start a team?

When you register for the 5K, you will have an option to join an existing team fundraiser by selecting one from the dropdown menu, or start a new one by clicking the toggle button under “Create Team Fundraiser” to switch it to “Yes” and filling in your team name, goal, and personal message for the page. People can join your team by visiting immigrantjustice.org/5K, clicking "Sign Up," and selecting your team name during registration. You can also share the link to your team page and encourage team members to click the "join" button. If you don’t want to fundraise, you can still start and/or join a team to participate in the race with friends, family, or colleagues! See more info about teams here.

Is there a fundraising minimum to participate?

There is no minimum fundraising amount to participate but we hope you will consider asking your networks to contribute. Our goal is to raise $53,000 dollars and we need your help to get to the finish line! NIJC’s 5K for Immigrant Justice is an opportunity to come together as a community to support immigrant rights and fund life-changing legal services, community outreach, and education through the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC).

Are donations tax-deductible?

Yes, as long as they’re donations made directly to your fundraising page or via checks made out to the “National Immigrant Justice Center.” Donors will receive a tax acknowledgment letter from NIJC via email from RunSignUp or through the mail for a check. 

How can I apply checks to my total?

If someone would like to make a donation to your fundraiser offline, please have them make a check out to "National Immigrant Justice Center" and include your name in the memo line to make sure you get credit for the donation! Please mail the check to:

National Immigrant Justice Center
Attn: Carrie Schwarz
111 W. Jackson Blvd, Suite 800
Chicago, IL 60604

Once we receive the check in the mail, we can add it to the amount you've raised so it counts towards your goal and shows up on your fundraising page.

The funds you raise through NIJC’s 5K for Immigrant Justice help provide life-changing legal services for people including those seeking asylum, and community outreach and education through the National Immigrant Justice Center. NIJC serves 10,000 people every year and this work is critical. Having a lawyer can prevent deportation, protect families, and ensure everyone knows their rights. Your participation means more people in our communities will have access to legal services and support to help them thrive.  

Be a Part of a Team
You can't do it alone—join a team with friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues! Each team member will get an individual fundraising page that links to the team. Set a goal together, inspire some friendly competition, and build toward your goal.

Tell Your Story
Personalize your fundraising page by adding a photo, sharing your story, setting your goal, and making a donation. Help your donors understand why NIJC and this cause is so important to you and how their support makes an impact.

Ask for Support
The best way to raise money is to ask! Write letters, send emails, and reach out by phone or text. Share your link on social media and in an email signature. Share your story and remind donors that their gift is tax deductible and supports immigrants and people seeking safety in our communities. Here’s a sample message you can personalize with your own experience or story:

“I'm participating in the 5K for Immigrant Justice to raise funds for the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC), one of the country's leading human rights organizations that provides life-changing legal services to immigrants and people seeking asylum and advocates for a humane immigration system. I invite you to join me in supporting this important cause by donating to my fundraiser at [paste your fundraising page URL here]. Your donation will keep families together, protect a neighbor from deportation and detention, and ensure someone can start a new and safe life in the United States. Plus, your donation is tax-deductible. Thank you very much for your support!”

Follow Up & Thank
Give a friendly reminder to your network and ask more than once. People might see your email or Facebook post, tell themselves they will respond later, and then get distracted and forget to come back to it. It might take multiple asks before you catch people at the right time, so make sure to follow up. And most importantly, be sure to thank them when they do donate! You can write a personal email, send a text, give them a call, or send a hand-written note or card. Donors will receive a thank you and acknowledgment from NIJC via email or through the mail if they sent a check, but they donated to support your campaign so it’s important that you thank them personally too.

Share Your Success
Keep track of your donations and keep sharing progress toward your goal. It can help motivate others to give and show your donors their impact on your goal.

Create or join a team!

You can team up with friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues to support immigrant rights together. Some people form teams with friends and family to honor loved ones, while others form a team with colleagues from their company, business, club, school, or civic organization. Each member of the team will have their own personal fundraising page, and will be fundraising together to reach the team’s goal. If you don’t want to fundraise, you can still start or join a team to participate in the race with friends, family, neighbors, or colleagues! 

It’s easy to create or join a team. Register for the 5K at immigrantjustice.org/5K and click the green “Sign Up” button. During registration, you will have an option to join an existing team fundraiser by selecting one from the dropdown menu, or start a new one by clicking the toggle button under “Create Team Fundraiser” to switch it to “Yes” and filling in your team name, goal, and personal message for the page. 

If you want to become a fundraiser and join a team without participating in the 5K, that’s great too! On the immigrantjustice.org/5K race website, go to the “Donate” dropdown in the top menu and click “Become a Fundraiser.” Complete the form and join or start a team during the process as explained above.