News

Summer is coming! That means it’s time for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race and throwing shade at anyone who says “Hotlanta.” The world’s largest 10K is notorious for “cardiac hill” and sweltering July temperatures! Every runner knows what a relief it is to pass under the shade trees on a hot run. This year, we have a chance for five runners and the many friends of runners to share their appreciation for trees by raising funds for Trees Atlanta.

These tree huggin’ runners need your support.

This year, Trees Atlanta has been named one of nine local non-profit organizations to participate in the 2025 Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree with a Purpose Official Charity Partner Program. The 56th running of the Peachtree takes place on July 4, 2025, and these awesome Trees Atlanta supporters will be running to benefit Trees Atlanta. You might recognize some or all of these great people: they include volunteers, staff, and friends! We hope you will support their effort to reach (and exceed!) their fundraising goal. Click on each runner’s fundraising page to donate or designate your donation through our website to a runner. The fundraising period is now through July 11, 2025.

Martha Issa

Martha Issa believes in the power of trees to transform communities, and she’s putting that belief into motion by running the Peachtree Road Race in support of Trees Atlanta. A Trees Atlanta Board Member since April 2024 and Senior Director of Sustainability at Veritiv Corporation, Martha’s commitment to environmental stewardship reflects both her personal passion and professional mission. Join her in making a lasting impact one tree (and one mile) at a time. 

 Ojaswi Chauthaiwale

A graduate student in urban design at Georgia Tech, Ojaswi Chauthaiwale is passionate about creating more livable, climate-resilient cities. She believes trees are essential for urban comfort and sustainability, especially in a city like Atlanta, and is inspired by Trees Atlanta’s efforts to preserve and expand the city’s iconic tree canopy. Supporting Trees Atlanta this way directly aligns with her academic and personal mission.

Kelly Rojas

As a Community Forestry Coordinator at Trees Atlanta, Kelly Rojas lives and breathes our mission. She is dedicated to nurturing our city’s urban forest. According to Kelly, what started as a tough chapter in her life turned into something transformational when she started working at Trees Atlanta. She is passionate about fitness and even leads a weekly run club for other Trees Atlanta staff. By raising funds for the organization that helped her find purpose, joy, and community, Kelly hopes her story can inspire others to support a greener, healthier Atlanta.

Chris Ross

Running and raising funds for Trees Atlanta perfectly combines Chris Ross’ passion for sustainability and a commitment to making Atlanta greener and healthier for everyone. It’s Chris’ first time running the Peachtree, but he’s no novice to keeping on the move! He’s the host of Keep That Same Green Energy®, a podcast that empowers everyday people to take climate action, whether that’s reducing their carbon footprint or supporting efforts like forest restoration.

Nathan Rowell

A longtime Peachtree Road Race participant, Nathan Rowell has run the race more than 15 times and still looks forward to it every year. This time, he’s lacing up to support Trees Atlanta and its mission to protect and grow Atlanta’s urban canopy. Nathan is among our most active Green Shirt volunteers, and he hopes the joy he finds in running helps inspire others to give back to the trees that make our city more vibrant and livable.

How to Donate

There are two ways to donate to help these runners reach their goals:

• Click on each runner’s profile to use the AJC’s Givegain.com fundraising page. Donations are automatically added to the runner’s tally, and funds collected will be transferred to Trees Atlanta.
• Donate on Trees Atlanta’s giving form. If you prefer to use the online donation tool on our website, please add the runner’s name and “Peachtree Road Race” to the field “Special Designation” so that we can manually add your donation to the runner’s tally. 

This program is organized by the Atlanta Track Club, a nonprofit committed to creating an active and healthy Atlanta. Through running and walking, Atlanta Track Club motivates, inspires and engages the community to enjoy a healthier lifestyle. 

The 2025 Charity Partners are: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Girl Scouts Greater Atlanta, Girls on the Run Georgia, HealthMPowers, Park Pride, Shepherd Center, The National Pancreas Foundation, and Trees Atlanta.

Posted on May 29, 2025