Boston, MA, May 2023 - On June 3rd, the vibrant city of Boston will witness an extraordinary
gathering as individuals with lived experience, alongside their families, supporters, and
community members, converge at Carson Beach for the highly anticipated Boston One Million
Steps for OCD Walk. As the world's largest grassroots campaign, this remarkable event aims to
shine a spotlight on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related disorders, forging
connections, raising awareness, and generating crucial funds.
Located in the heart of South Boston, the flagship event will draw hundreds of enthusiastic
participants from the local area and beyond. Together, they will embark on a transformative
journey, creating a powerful community that refuses to let anyone affected by OCD or related
disorders suffer alone.
“We are thrilled to welcome walkers from across the Boston-area to this critical event that offers
so much to the OCD community,” said Matthew Antonelli, Interim Executive Director of the
International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), which organizes this annual event. “Through our
flagship Boston OCD Walk we are able to build community, raise awareness, fundraise and
educate.”
“The support for this annual event demonstrates that those with OCD and other disorders are
not in this alone, that there is community available to them along their journey,” Antonelli said.
IOCDF Affiliates in cities ranging from Oakland to Salt Lake City will be gathering to hold their
own OCD Walks throughout the spring and into October. The Marquee Sponsor for this year’s
OCD Walk program is Biohaven, with additional support from NOCD, OCD Institute | Texas,
Spectrum Designs, McLean OCD Institute, Bradley Hospital, and the Center for OCD and
Related Disorders at Massachusetts General Hospital. The IOCDF is grateful to all of the
sponsors for making these OCD Walk events possible.
Taking center stage as the Grand Marshals of this year's Boston OCD Walk are Morgan
Rondinelli and Molly Fishback of Not Alone Notes, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. Not Alone
Notes uplifts the OCD community by sending heartfelt, handwritten letters to individuals with
OCD and related disorders.
“The work of Not Alone Notes is so important to us as we try to ensure that no individual
impacted by OCD suffers alone,” said Antonelli. “Their mission of outreach hits close to home
for us and we are grateful for the service they provide to the community. Celebrating their work
at today’s event is a great opportunity to raise awareness for the work they are doing. We hope
that by showcasing them at this year’s walk that even more people will learn about the
meaningful work they are doing and be inspired to participate in it.”
Participants in the Boston OCD Walk will have a unique opportunity to craft a Not Alone Note at
the Saturday, June 3, 2023 event at Carson Beach. The notes gathered will be sent to those
suffering with OCD.
“We’re thrilled to be in Boston celebrating with the OCD community today,” said Fishback. “It
means so much to us being at the walk representing Not Alone Notes and writing notes together
at this event. By encouraging walkers to write not alone notes and/or request one for
themselves or someone they know, we’re expanding upon the IOCDF’s mission to ensure that
no one with OCD or related disorders suffers alone. These notes are a way for us to remind
others that they are not alone in their OCD struggles or anything else they might be battling.”
Those interested in requesting a note or looking for more information can visit notalonenotes.org.
About the International OCD Foundation: We are a Boston-based nonprofit whose mission is to
help those impacted by obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related disorders live full and
productive lives. We accomplish this by increasing access to effective treatment through
research and training, fostering a hopeful and supportive community via programming and
events, and fighting stigma. Learn more at iocdf.org.
To learn more and join the Boston One Million Steps for OCD Walk, go to iocdf.org/bostonOCDwalk.