For fitness and nutrition coach Jessica Paternoster, running the New York City Marathon isn’t just about coming home in a respectable time. It’s about doing something for a cause that hits close to home.
Paternoster will run the 2026 New York City Marathon as a member of Team FCA, raising money for Family & Children’s Association, which provides services and support to children, families, seniors and individuals facing difficult circumstances.
“I wanted this marathon to represent something bigger than crossing a finish line,” said Paternoster, a Mahopac High School graduate who owns JP Empowerment LLC, a health and wellness business offering personal training, running and nutrition coaching and other fitness services. “Every mile I run is an opportunity to raise awareness, give back, and hopefully help another family through a difficult chapter in their lives.”
Her goal is to raise $5,000 for FCA.
Paternoster said her connection to the organization’s mission comes in part from challenges her own family has experienced, including financial hardship after her father lost his job, the loss of loved ones and her father undergoing open-heart surgery and nearly dying.
“I’ve also experienced my own struggles with mental health and know what it feels like to need support but not always have immediate access to the resources you need,” Paternoster said. “Those experiences changed the way I look at other families who are struggling behind closed doors. You never truly know what someone is carrying.”
This won’t be Paternoster’s first trip through the five boroughs. She completed the New York City Marathon in 2025 and is returning to tackle the 26.2-mile course for a second consecutive year, this time tying the effort directly to her FCA fundraising campaign.
Community members can support the effort by donating through Paternoster’s fundraising page or by sharing it with friends, family, coworkers and local businesses. She is also hoping to partner with area businesses and organizations interested in donating, sponsoring a fundraising event, contributing raffle items or displaying a QR code directing people to the campaign.
“No donation is too small,” Paternoster said. “$5, $10, $25, $50 or whatever someone is comfortable giving can make a difference when an entire community comes together.”
Fitness is only one side of Paternoster’s creative and professional life. She is also a singer-songwriter and performer under the name Jessi Rose, as well as a photographer and graphic designer. Whether she is coaching a client, performing or preparing for another marathon, she said the common thread is connecting with people and making an impact.
She will put that philosophy into motion in November.
“For this marathon,” she said, “I want to use something I love doing to help people who need it most.”
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