Out West Run participants reported better mental and physical health, increased workplace productivity, and a stronger connection to their community.
CHICAGO, Aug. 17, 2026 — A new study of Peace Runners 773’s Out West Run 13.1 training program found that participants experienced meaningful gains in mental health, physical activity, workplace productivity, and community connection, with a sense of belonging emerging as a key driver of those outcomes.
The organization’s Comprehensive Impact Report is among the first studies to examine the health, social, and economic effects of a community running program together. Its findings demonstrate how investing in community-based wellness programs can generate measurable benefits for participants and the neighborhoods they call home.
The study identified four key outcomes associated with participation in Peace Runners 773 programs:
- Participants improved by an average of 2.6 points on the PHQ-9 depression scale, moving from mild to minimal depressive symptoms. The resulting increase in workplace productivity was valued at an estimated $3,200 to $3,279 per participant annually.
- Participants who began meeting CDC physical activity guidelines generated an estimated $2,040 per person in annual health care savings.
- Workplace productivity gains associated with improved physical health represented an estimated $1,390 to $1,964 in additional earnings per participant annually.
- Participants reported a stronger sense of connection to the Garfield Park community, suggesting the program’s benefits may extend beyond individual health outcomes.
Peace Runners 773 engaged SPARC for Sports to lead the year-long research project. SPARC brought in Kent State University economist Shawn Rohlin and consumer psychologist Jennifer Wiggins to design and conduct the study. Researchers surveyed members of the 2026 Out West Run cohort at the beginning and end of the six-month training program, measuring changes in mental health, physical activity, workplace productivity, and community connection.
Researchers expected participants’ physical health to improve. The magnitude of the mental health gains, however, was less expected. Participants moved, on average, from mild to minimal depressive symptoms on the PHQ-9, a widely used clinical screening tool.
“We’re not seeing a group that came in with high depressive symptoms,” said Wiggins. “But going from mild symptoms to minimal, which is about as close to symptom-free as this scale measures, is a real win.”
Qualitative findings offered insight into what may be driving that improvement. Participants consistently credited the Peace Runners community—not running alone—with helping them feel supported, less isolated, and connected to something larger than themselves.
“What surprised us in the qualitative data is that participants kept crediting the community more than the running itself,” Wiggins said. “They talked about feeling supported, feeling like they weren’t alone, feeling like they were part of something bigger. That sense of belonging seems to be doing a lot of the work.”
Researchers also observed a potential network effect: participants who receive support through the program become sources of encouragement and connection for others, allowing the benefits to spread through the Garfield Park community over time.
The report provides Peace Runners 773 with evidence to guide future programming and strengthen conversations with funders, partners, and community leaders. It also offers a framework other community-based running and fitness organizations can use to evaluate their own health, social, and economic impact.
“For us on the West Side, this data is validation of what we’ve felt on the ground every Saturday morning at the Garfield Park Gold Dome,” said Jackie Hoffman, founder and director of Peace Runners 773. “Watching my mom go from 13 medications down to zero just by walking and running with me taught me that movement is medicine. Now we have the data to back it up: our participants are getting physically healthier, saving on health care costs, and building the mental resilience to change the trajectory of their lives.”
“We aren’t just asking for grants,” Hoffman added. “We’re bringing a high-ROI, evidence-based model for community health and economic development to the table.”
About Peace Runners 773
Peace Runners 773 empowers individuals and neighborhoods through running, mentorship, and advocacy, bridging health disparities and creating pathways to economic opportunity on Chicago’s West Side.