The Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, now in its 17th year, returns on October 19. With a $2.5 million fundraising goal, the event directly supports youth with special needs, public schools and college scholarships. Howie Mandel and Brooke Burke will be present to amplify the Walk’s mission and reach.
“Over the past 17 years, the Walk has become a beloved fall tradition — one that truly reflects the heart of what community and love are all about,” said Skechers President and Co-Founder Michael Greenberg about the event, which now draws over 21,000 participants annually. “We’re building a brighter, more inclusive future, step by step. One where children with special needs are surrounded by friends, where students’ dreams are taking flight and where families and communities are coming together to build a world of opportunity, belonging and compassion.
“From transforming our public schools and sending exceptional students to college through our national college scholarship program to celebrating neurodiverse youth at the Friendship Foundation’s new world-class Friendship Campus opening next year, our victories are countless — all showing how transformative and life-changing this day on the beach has become for our kids, continued Greenberg.”
The Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk’s donations support the future Friendship Campus (The Greenberg Family/Skechers Center) — a $55 million, 60,000-square-foot life skills center that will provide vocational training, job placement and opportunities for students to positively impact the workforce and society. Opening its doors in 2026, the facility will include numerous programs, including a Creative Arts Center, Culinary Institute, Recreation Center, Life Skills programming, and early education and mentoring opportunities, giving young adults the tools to discover lifelong passion and purpose.
The Campus will also serve as the new headquarters for the Friendship Foundation, which fosters companionship, celebrates uniqueness and encourages acceptance for all with diverse abilities. The organization offers more than 60 in-person programs, including art, music, fitness, sign language, science, social-emotional wellness, and yoga, as well as engaging pop-up programs such as virtual scavenger hunts and talent shows, free for anyone to attend, locally and across the United States.
Academically, funds from the Walk have enabled public school education foundations to reduce class sizes, update labs, libraries, and facilities, and protect teachers’ jobs. The Skechers Foundation’s national college scholarship program also gives a portion of Walk proceeds to students with financial need and proven excellence in academics, athletics and leadership, donating more than $2.3 million in scholarships to date.
The Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk will also include a special pet adoption fair in partnership with The Lovejoy Foundation.
In addition to Mandel and Burke, the Walk has been supported over the years by many celebrities and athletes, as well as by dozens of stars, companies, and retailers.
Image courtesy Skechers
