Sister Stephanie Baliga once dreamed of becoming an elite athlete.
asserted
Baliga → dream → athlete
Today, the former Division I runner is using that same passion for running to help feed families and senior citizens in her Chicago community.
asserted
runner → use → community
For the past 15 years, Baliga has taken part in the Chicago Marathon as part of the Mission of Our Lady of the Angels (MOLA) charity team.
asserted
Baliga → take → team
According to MOLA, the marathon team has raised more than $2.6 million between 2011 and 2025, helping support the organisation’s food pantry and community services.
uncertain
team → accord → pantry
This fall, Baliga and nearly 200 members of Team OLA are expected to return for the 16th consecutive Chicago Marathon, with a fundraising goal of $500,000.
asserted
Baliga → expect → 500,000
Sister Stephanie’s journey from running to religious life
Sister Stephanie Baliga has raised over $2.6 million through the Chicago Marathon.
asserted
Baliga → raise → Marathon
Baliga began running when she was nine years old, and the sport quickly became central to her identity.
“I started running when I was 9, and running became my life,” she told WTTW.
asserted
she → begin → WTTW
“It was how I defined myself and who I was.”
asserted
I → define → myself
She trained for hours each day and was preparing for a potential professional career.
asserted
She → train → career
At the time, even a marathon time of 2 hours and 53 minutes, fast enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon, did not feel good enough to her.
asserted
time → qualify → her
“The challenge of being an elite athlete is that you’re never satisfied with anything you’re doing,” she said.
asserted
she → ’re → anything
Her path changed when she fractured her foot during her sophomore year.
asserted
she → change → year
Forced to spend less time running, she turned toward prayer and eventually realised she wanted to devote her life to God.
asserted
she → force → God
“Jesus saw me for who I was.
asserted
I → see → me
He was not looking for my straight A’s or my fast running times; he was just seeking to love me wherever I was at,” Baliga said.
asserted
Baliga → look → wherever
Her running now helps feed hundreds of families
Every mile matters: Sister Stephanie Baliga continues running to support a Chicago food pantry.
asserted
Baliga → help → pantry
Baliga eventually found a way to combine her faith with her lifelong passion for running.
asserted
Baliga → find → running
Through the MOLA marathon team, she has spent the past 15 years raising money for the organisation’s food pantry, which serves hundreds of families every week.
asserted
which → spend → families
“We serve about 400 to 500 families in person every Tuesday and we send about 300 deliveries to senior citizens between Monday and Tuesday each week,” Baliga said.
asserted
Baliga → serve → Monday
“It totally changed the way I live my life.”
asserted
I → change → life
Father Bob Lombardo, who opened MOLA, said the organisation serves people regardless of their faith.
asserted
organisation → open → faith
“As we like to say, we do what we do because we’re Catholic, not because the people we serve are Catholic,” he told WTTW.
asserted
he → like → WTTW
Marathon fundraising helped sustain the pantry
The charity's marathon efforts have had a significant impact on the food pantry, particularly during a period when demand increased sharply.
asserted
demand → sustain → period
“The marathon funding was key to expanding the pantry in 2018, 2019 and 2020, and was very key to us sustaining an extremely large pantry during the pandemic,” Baliga said.
asserted
Baliga → expand → pandemic
The team raised about $20,000 during its first marathon.
asserted
team → raise → marathon
Over the years, that total grew to more than $2.6 million.
asserted
total → grow → million
Reflecting on the amount raised, Baliga said, “It was insane.
asserted
It → reflect → amount
You’re like, ‘Woah, look at all those zeros!
asserted
You → look → zeros
That’s a lot of zeros.’
asserted
That → ’ → zeros
The Lord provides.”
asserted
Lord → provide → ?
Team OLA prepares for another Chicago Marathon
Sister Stephanie Baliga’s marathon journey has helped raise millions for families in need.
asserted
journey → prepare → need
Baliga and nearly 200 Team OLA runners are preparing to run the Chicago Marathon for the 16th consecutive year.
asserted
Baliga → prepare → year
The team has set a goal of raising $500,000 this year.
asserted
team → set → 500,000
Baliga and the team also took part in a half marathon on June 10 as part of their preparations, raising around $16,000.
asserted
Baliga → take → 16,000
The full marathon team had raised more than $184,000 toward this year’s goal, according to the information provided by MOLA.
uncertain
team → raise → MOLA
Supporters have also embraced the team’s mission.
asserted
Supporters → embrace → mission
Other nuns and supporters have turned out with signs including “You vati-CAN do it” and “May God have mercy on your soles,” along with a cardboard cutout of Pope Leo.
uncertain
God → turn → Leo
‘The Lord provides’
MOLA describes Team OLA’s mission as raising awareness and funds for the organisation while offering the time, energy and physical discomfort involved in marathon training in support of the people it serves.
asserted
it → provide → people
For Baliga, the meaning of running has changed dramatically.
asserted
meaning → change → running
What once represented a pursuit of faster times and athletic perfection is now a way to help put food on the tables of families and senior citizens.
asserted
represented → represent → families
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
