A Sea of Pink Along the Midland Beach Boardwalk
On a fall morning at Midland Beach, the pink ribbons arrive before the sun has fully warmed the shoreline. Families gather along Father Capodanno Boulevard. Friends greet friends beside the Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk. Survivors, caregivers, neighbors, and first-time walkers pin on ribbons, adjust their sneakers, and take their places together.
The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Staten Island walk is more than a day on the calendar. It is a public show of love for people living with breast cancer, a tribute to those remembered, and a reminder that no one should have to face the disease alone. Each team carries its own reason for walking; together, those reasons become a powerful community message.
For two decades, Robert DeFalco Realty has supported this cause. Its annual involvement reflects a broader belief in Robert DeFalco Realty Community Service: that a local business can use its reach, relationships, and resources to help strengthen the place it calls home.
The American Cancer Society’s Making Strides movement brings together teams, companies, and individuals to raise funds for research and support for people affected by breast cancer. The Society says the money raised supports its lifesaving work, including research and patient services.
That mission feels especially close on Staten Island. Here, the people walking beside you may be a neighbor, a colleague, a friend, or someone who helped you find a home. Along the Breast Cancer Walk Midland Beach Staten Island route, community solidarity becomes visible: one step at a time, one team at a time, one shared hope at a time.
Two Decades of Impact: Robert DeFalco Realty’s 20-Year Commitment
For 20 years, Robert DeFalco Realty has stood alongside Staten Island residents in support of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. The commitment has grown from a single charitable effort into part of the agency’s identity: a way for its founder, agents, staff, clients, and community partners to put the company’s values into action.
As a leading sponsor of the Annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, Robert DeFalco Realty consistently raises funds for the event, with our charitable donations having surpassed $1 million. That figure reflects our agency’s broader philanthropic efforts. However, the fight against breast cancer does not end at the finish line of the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk because we continue to raise money against breast cancer with our annual casino night.
That consistency is one of the most meaningful milestones. A one-day walk can inspire people to act, but a 20-year commitment shows what happens when a community chooses to return year after year. As the pink ribbon movement grows, so does the network of people who ask friends and colleagues to join, make a donation, volunteer, or simply show up in support.
In 2025, Robert DeFalco was publicly identified as chairman of the Staten Island Making Strides event, another sign of the company’s visible involvement in the local campaign. The agency’s participation reflects a local version of Staten Island real estate broker community involvement: using a business platform to bring people together around a cause that affects families across the borough.
The team effort behind that work is what makes Team DeFalco meaningful. Every person who walks or fundraises adds their own reason to the team’s purpose. Some walk in honor of a loved one. Others walk in gratitude for a survivor, in support of someone in treatment, or because they believe that research and care should keep moving forward.
The result is more than a corporate sponsorship. It is a community tradition carried by individuals, agents, employees, families, clients, and neighbors, who help turn a commitment into action.
Why Midland Beach Is the Heartbeat of Staten Island’s Fight
Midland Beach offers a fitting setting for the Staten Island walk. With the shoreline nearby and the FDR Boardwalk stretching along the coast, the area gives participants room to gather, reflect, and move forward together. The walk brings local attention to a cause that can otherwise feel intensely private.
At Midland Beach, the personal and the public meet. A survivor’s pink shirt might carry a name or a date. A team banner might honor someone who is no longer here. A caregiver may arrive quietly, then find a familiar face in the crowd. The start of the walk can feel like a reunion, a remembrance, and a show of support all at once.
The spirit of the Midland Beach boardwalk Staten Island events is rooted in the borough’s ability to show up for one another. People come from across Staten Island, from South Beach and Sea View to neighborhoods farther from the water. To walk, volunteer, cheer, and support the mission. For many, the shoreline is a familiar place for recreation. On walk day, it becomes a gathering place for hope.
Ceremonies and moments of recognition are central to the experience of many Making Strides events. The official walk schedule can change from year to year, so participants should check the event page for the 2026 program. But whatever the format, there is a reason the survivor honor lap holds such meaning: it recognizes people whose lives have been changed by breast cancer and gives the whole crowd a chance to honor their strength.
The walk also creates space to remember those who have died. A ribbon, a sign, or a few words shared with a friend can carry a message that does not need a microphone. In a crowd of thousands, individual stories are not lost; they become part of a shared promise to keep supporting research, care, and one another.
Where the Funds Go: Turning Dollars into Life-Saving Action
A donation to Making Strides supports the American Cancer Society’s work to help end breast cancer as we know it. The Society describes the movement as a source of funding for research, patient support, and services for people and families facing cancer.
Research. The American Cancer Society funds scientists studying breast cancer at universities, medical schools, research institutes, and hospitals. That work helps deepen understanding of the disease and explore new ways to prevent, detect, and treat it. Research takes persistence, collaboration, and sustained investment, and community fundraising helps support that greater effort.
Rides and transportation. Treatment can mean frequent trips to clinics and hospitals. Through Road To Recovery®, the American Cancer Society connects eligible patients who need transportation with volunteer drivers in some communities. The Society also provides grants to health system partners to support transportation assistance. Availability depends on local programs and eligibility, so patients should contact ACS for current options.
Lodging. When cancer treatment requires travel away from home, the Society’s Hope Lodge® program offers eligible patients and caregivers a free place to stay in participating locations. The Society also provides lodging grants to some local health system partners. These services can reduce the added burden of travel during treatment.
Information and support. The ACS 24/7 helpline connects people with trained cancer information specialists who can answer questions and provide guidance. The number is 1-800-227-2345. For Staten Island residents and families, the service can be a starting point for learning what support may be available nearby.
Early detection and education. The American Cancer Society publishes breast cancer screening guidance and resources to help people understand early detection. Screening recommendations vary by age and individual risk, so people should discuss their circumstances with a healthcare provider. The organization also works to improve access to screening and supports patient education.
These programs are part of a national effort, and not every service is delivered directly on Staten Island or funded solely by one local walk. Still, they show how fundraising can connect to practical help: information, support, transportation, lodging, and research.
Walk Day Guide: Event Details & How to Get Involved
The 2026 Making Strides Walk Staten Island is scheduled for Sunday, October 25, at Midland Beach. A published event listing gives the location as 714 Father Capodanno Boulevard and notes an 8:00 a.m. start; a New York teachers’ organization lists a rolling start from 8:00 to 10:30 a.m. Check the current ACS event page for final instructions and any schedule changes.
2026 Event Summary
- Event: Making Strides Against Breast Cancer — Staten Island
- Date: Sunday, October 25, 2026
- Location: Midland Beach, 714 Father Capodanno Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10305
- Start: Published listings show an 8:00 a.m. start; one listing notes a rolling start through 10:30 a.m.
- Ceremonies and survivor recognition: Check the event registration page for the confirmed sequence and arrival guidance.
- Parking and transportation: Review the organizer’s latest event-day directions. Parking and shuttle availability can change; do not assume a shuttle is provided.
To participate, start with the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides event finder and select Staten Island. Registration lets you choose to participate individually, start a team, or join an existing team. The ACS explains that walkers can recruit friends and family, then use its fundraising tools to ask for donations.
If you want to walk with Team DeFalco, look for its current listing on the ACS event page. If you don’t see it, contact Robert DeFalco Realty directly for the correct team link or instructions rather than registering under a similarly named group.
If you cannot attend in person, you can still contribute by donating through the walk’s official fundraising page or by supporting a registered participant. You can also share the page with friends and family. A message, a small donation, or a team invitation can help extend the walk’s reach beyond Midland Beach.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is the Staten Island Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk?
The 2026 Staten Island Making Strides walk is scheduled for Sunday, October 25, at Midland Beach, 714 Father Capodanno Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10305. Published listings show an 8:00 a.m. start, with one listing noting a rolling start through 10:30 a.m. Check the event page for updates.
How has Robert DeFalco Realty contributed to cancer research and community support?
Robert DeFalco Realty says it has been a leading sponsor of the annual Making Strides walk and consistently raises funds for the event. The company also reports more than $1 million in charitable donations across causes; that is an overall figure, not a total attributed solely to breast cancer.
Can I join Team DeFalco or donate if I can’t attend the walk in person?
Yes. Check the American Cancer Society’s Staten Island event page for the current Team DeFalco listing, or contact Robert DeFalco Realty for its team link. If you can’t walk, you can still donate through the official event or participant fundraising page and share it with your network.
Walking Together Toward a Cure
Twenty years of support is built one year at a time, and one person at a time. Every walk, donation, conversation, and act of encouragement helps make the cause visible. It tells survivors and people in treatment that their community sees them. It reminds caregivers that their work matters. And it keeps research and patient support in the public conversation.
That is the promise of the Robert DeFalco Realty Community Service tradition: a local business showing up for the people and causes that shape Staten Island. The walk is an opportunity to turn that promise into something tangible, alongside neighbors, friends, colleagues, and families.
On October 25, Robert DeFalco Realty invites Staten Islanders to wear pink, lace up their sneakers, and walk together at Midland Beach. Meet at the shoreline, bring someone you care about, and carry your reason for walking with you along Father Capodanno Boulevard and the FDR Boardwalk.
One morning cannot end breast cancer. But together, we can help sustain the research, support, and hope that move us closer to that future. Walk with Team DeFalco, make a donation, or share the event with someone who may want to join. Every step is a way to say: we are here, we remember, and we keep moving forward.