(August 8, 2024- Southampton, NY) – The Hope for Depression Research Foundation’s (HDRF) Ninth Annual 5K Race of Hope brought together 1000 men, women, and children on Sunday, August 4 in Southampton Village in support of research and mental health awareness.  Acclaimed author and influencer Stacey Griffith, Founding Senior Master Instructor at SoulCycle,  cheered the crowd as Celebrity Grand Marshal.  

The event raised over $500,000 for research into new and improved treatments for depression and anxiety.  Both the number of participants and dollars raised set new records for the event, which continues to grow each year. 

HDRF founder Audrey Gruss and Board member Arthur Dunnam, both Hamptons residents, served with Griffith as Co-Grand Marshals of the 5K Walk/Run (3.1 miles), which is a USA Track and Field-sanctioned event.  

At the opening ceremony, Audrey Gruss said: “Today we are a thousand people strong. We are so uplifted by this groundswell of support from the community in support of HDRF and its mental health mission.  Depression is the number one reason in the world for disability. It is not a tummy ache, it is depression. And now after Covid, a third of Americans, men, women, and children are struggling with symptoms of depression and anxiety. That’s why HDRF is working to find new treatments to help people feel better worldwide.”

Celebrity Grand Marshal Stacey Griffith said: “There is no depression on my watch!” with a smile and a fist pump.  “That is why I am here with the Race of Hope. I will be here every summer, forever and ever.“ She added: “When you participate in something in your community, and you’re connected to your neighbors and your friends, it brings an energy level to this part of where we are, and it vibrates Southampton to a really high place.” 

Grier Henchy, 17, participated in Sunday’s Race with her famous mom Brooke Shields, who was one of the first celebrities to speak openly about depression.  Henchy, a previous Grand Marshal of HDRF’s Teen Race of Hope in NYC, is following in Shields’ footsteps as a passionate mental health advocate.

Hope and good vibes were palpable as participants set off from the starting line to complete the 3.1-mile course around Lake Agawam and the tree-lined streets of Southampton, NY.  They created a parade of sunshine, with everyone donning t-shirts and caps in HDRF’s signature sunshine yellow.  

At the close of the race, Audrey Gruss handed out awards in several categories, including First Prize for best male to Jordan Daniel, and First Prize for the best female time to Jenny Grimshaw.   The award for the largest team went to Josh Gruss and his team, Team Fleming, with 58 members.  Team Fleming also won an award for raising  over $9,000.  The award for Top Individual Fundraiser went to Arthur Dunnam, who raised $39,425 from friends and family for his race.  

The first 600 participants to pick up their gear received an HDRF-branded ultra-lightweight jacket, hat and race shirt. All racers received a finisher medal.  The first, second, and third-place winners received cash prizes of up to $500. 

HDRF also partnered with Revo, an American heritage sunglass brand renowned for its polarized lenses, for the Race. The first 100 participants who arrived at Early Race Packet Pick Up received a voucher for a pair of Revo sunglasses. Additionally, the first female and male winners each were awarded a pair of Revo sunglasses.

HDRF has been a leader in depression research since 2006, bringing together neuroscientists from different universities to work as a team. They collaborate and pool data to better understand the root causes of depression in the brain and to accelerate the next generation of treatments.  Currently, a clinical trial for a new category of medication is underway at Mount Sinai and Stanford.

Race participants included: Krista and Alex Bard, Diego Binetti, Janna Bullock, Susan Cushing, Philippe Delgrange and Team Bilboquet, Arthur Dunnam, Christina Flaherty, Alan and Barbara Glatt, Jamee and Peter Gregory, Kim Heirston, Karen and Richard LeFrak, Anne Nordeman, Stacey Pashcow and Marc Caputo, John Paulson and Alina de Almeida, Campion and Tatiana Platt, James and Teresa Remez and their daughters Sofia and Lila, Lis Waterman and Victoria Wyman. 

5K Race of Hope Committee

Platinum Level: John Paulson & Alina de Almeida, Thomas C. Quick & Michael Donnell, Brian & Christina Flaherty, Jamee & Peter Gregory, Judy & Leonard Lauder, Teresa & James Remez and Cliff Robinson. 

Gold Level: Acquavella Family Foundation, Paola Bacchini & Arnold Rosenshein, Geoffrey N. Bradfield, Melissa Breitbart, Ide & David Dangoor, Arthur Dunnam & Roy Cohen, Wendy & Howard Cox, Philippe Delgrange, Bambi & Roger Felberbaum, The Honorable David Fischer & Jennifer Fischer, Molly & Bill Ford, Cindy & Chris Galvin, Josh Gruss, Candy Hamm, Kim Heirston, Yaz & Valentin Hernandez, Sharon & John Loeb, Jr., Robert F. Mancuso, Mary P. Moran, Pamela & Edward Pantzer, Stacey Pashcow, Kathy Prounis, Katharine Rayner, Lisette & Hank Siegel, Barbara & Randall Smith, Scott Snyder, Barbara & Clifford Sobel, Amanda Taylor, Lis Waterman, Sarah J. Wetenhall, Lynne Wheat, Victoria Wyman and Maria S. Zoullas. 

Silver Level: Catherine Adler, Suzanne & Mark Antilety, Barbara Bancroft, Diego Binetti, David C. Bohnett, Rita & Charles Bronfman, Dominique Buaron, Janna Bullock, Chris Coffee, Gus N. Davis, Gabby & Gianpaolo de Felice, K Dietze, Lisa & Sandy Ehrenkranz, Deborah A. Farrington, Frances & Jeff Fisher, Barbara & Alan Glatt, Mrs. Darcy Gould, Susan Gutfreund, Alexia Hamm Ryan, Mai Hallingby Harrison, Tania Higgins, Elizabeth & Edgar Howard, Natasha Jeffries, Eleanora Kennedy, Karen Klopp, Bonnie Lautenberg, Robin Baker Leacock, Mrs. Richard LeFrak, Dorothy Lichtenstein, Geralyn & Tyler Lucas, The Honorable Earle I. Mack & Carol Mack, Teresa Melhado, Lauren Layne Merck, Sharon Bush & Bob Murray, Karen Murray, Lucia Nielsen Musso, Anne S. Nordeman, Jane & Richard Novick, Robin Pickett, Frances G. Scaife, Jean Shafiroff, Mary Snow, Ginny & David Sydorick, Lance Toland, Lydia Touzet, Dobi Trendafilova, Nicholas Varney, Clelia & Tom Zacharias and Silvia Zoullas. 

5K Race of Hope Sponsors 

Balmain, DiLandro Andrews Engineering, Fivestory, Gubbins Running, Hamilton Jewelers, KIP, Le Bilboquet, Livingston Builders, LOVE Binetti, Marders, Revo, Sage & Madison, SiO, Southampton Hospital Foundation and Veronica Beard. 

About Hope for Depression Research Foundation:

HDRF was founded in 2006 by philanthropist Audrey Gruss in memory of her mother Hope, who struggled with clinical depression. The mission of the HDRF is to spur the innovative brain research into the origins, medical diagnosis, new treatments, and prevention of depression and its related mood disorders – bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, and suicide. The World Health Organization has declared depression as the leading cause of disability worldwide, and yet conventional medications today are outdated and do not fully work for 50% of patients.  HDRF is working tirelessly to improve the mental health landscape for every American.  The Foundation has provided more than $75 million through over 200 grants for breakthrough depression research that promises to transform the way depression is viewed, diagnosed, treated and prevented. Currently, HDRF has a potential new class of medication in pilot clinical trials at Mount Sinai Medical Center, and Stanford University. HDRF is also funding clinical trials into other novel therapeutics and diagnostic tests at Johns Hopkins, University of San Diego, and the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Published By: Aize Perez