NYCRUNS Brooklyn Experience Half Marathon 2025

Running for Rescue: Honoring Samantha Jacoff & Supporting Korean K9 Rescue
 

On April 27, 2025, my husband Nick and I will be running the NYCRUNS Brooklyn Half Marathon in honor of my dear friend and colleague, Samantha Jacoff—and for the mission we both believe in so deeply: Korean K9 Rescue. Sam joined our team in April 2022 as our Adoption Coordinator, and from the very beginning, I was drawn to her passion, warmth, and determination. She was a force of nature—funny, driven, compassionate, and fiercely committed to giving rescue dogs the second chance they deserved. Sam played a key role in matching hundreds of dogs with loving forever homes, and she remained dedicated to this work until her very last day with us.
 

Samantha cherished her community in Brooklyn and loved every dog that came through our doors. She became family to all of us at KK9R, and we are proud to run in her memory, alongside her beloved family, to celebrate her legacy and support a cause she held close to her heart.
 

I’m raising funds for Korean K9 Rescue in Sam’s honor between now and race day. Every donation helps us continue the lifesaving work that meant so much to her: rescuing mistreated and homeless dogs from South Korea and NYC, providing them with the care they need, and placing them in loving homes. Since we started in 2018, KK9R has rescued and rehomed over 3,500 dogs in the tri-state area—and we’re just getting started.

Please consider supporting this fundraiser—whether by donating, sharing, or cheering us on. Every contribution makes a difference and helps us carry on Sam’s incredible legacy.
 

Thank you for your generosity, and for honoring Sam with us in this meaningful way.
 

With gratitude,

Gina Kim-Sadiku
Executive Director, Korean K9 Rescue