The New Destiny Team Successfully Completed the Marathon on November 3, 2024
New Destiny Housing was proud to be an official charity partner of New York Road Runners, for the TCS New York City Marathon in 2024! The course ran through all five of New York City’s boroughs: Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan’s iconic Central Park. It was a 26.2-mile block party through the world’s most diverse city, and a model for big-city marathons around the world. Through this partnership, we were able to provide runners with the opportunity to make their miles meaningful and support New Destiny’s mission to end the dual cycles of homelessness and domestic violence.
We were thrilled to have 7 amazing runners participating on our inaugural charity running team! Nicole, Ernest, Joe, Emily, Suzanne, Sean, and Robin ran the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon to end the cycle of domestic violence and homelessness. Thank you for joining us in supporting them as they supported us!
Nicole Branca is our Chief Executive Officer. Having completed 3 marathons and 8 half-marathons, Nicole laced up once more to pave the way for domestic violence survivors seeking housing.
Fun Fact: Running is one of the few times I’m able to block out all the noise that’s usually in my head and allow my thoughts to roam, so I rarely disrupt that by inviting in music. If I have to run on the dreaded treadmill or through terrible weather, I listen to 90s hard rock/metal to push through. Song recommendations always welcome!
Ernest Ialongo is a seasoned runner with 2 marathons and 14 half-marathons under his belt. An avid supporter of New Destiny, Ernest embarked on his third marathon.
Fun Fact: Besides running I love long-distance swimming and great fiction
Joe Doran finished his fourth marathon! Joe enjoys supporting charities with his long-distance runs.
Fun Fact: Catch me listening to anything with a good beat or singalong, including Chase and Status, Chappell Roan, and Four Year Strong.
Emily Bennett completed her first-ever marathon! Having moved to New York City earlier this year, she wanted to give back to her community and neighbors. In her own words, “Housing is safety and housing is survival. Money should not stand between women escaping a dangerous living environment and finding stability for themselves and their families.”
Fun Fact: Her ideal Sunday includes a morning run followed by trying a new restaurant or bakery around Brooklyn!
Suzanne Reisman, despite swearing she’d never do it again, laced up for her 2nd marathon! She’s ran for New Destiny because “having a safe, affordable, supportive, and beautiful place to live is the foundation every person deserves, and New Destiny is the only housing provider in NYC to offer this to survivors of domestic violence and their families.”
Fun Fact: My favorite time to run is just before the sun rises because NYC has a magical quietness to it.
Sean Kielty is a senior emergency management communications and public information executive with over 20 years of experience in all-hazards protection, prevention, preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation. He is also a former USAF Comm & Info Officer and a current Human Resource Officer in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard with three decades of military service. With his second marathon under his belt, Sean is a “lifelong proponent of relieving homelessness.”
Robin White completed her 18th marathon and brought a unique perspective to the New Destiny team. A survivor of domestic violence, Robin’s mission was to give other survivors the resources she had access to.
Fun Fact: As a mom and a runner, I never go anywhere without snacks. They’re always in my purse, pocket, or car. No one will get hangry on my watch.