ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Community members gathered in Alexandria to participate in a Carry The Load walk as part of the nonprofit’s Memorial May campaign, honoring the sacrifices of military service members, veterans, and first responders.

The video, filmed in Alexandria, captures one of many events nationwide taking place between April 28 and Memorial Day, organized by Carry The Load—a nonprofit founded by U.S. Navy SEAL veterans in 2011.

“Carry The Load first started out of anger and frustration for a nation that we felt had forgotten the true meaning of Memorial Day,” said Stephen Holley, co-founder, president, and CEO of Carry The Load. “Since then, our Memorial May campaign has helped provide healing for friends and family of the fallen and keeps their memories alive.”

Participants walk in teams or as individuals, many of them fundraising to support programs for military families, including mental health counseling, education scholarships, transition services, and more. This year’s campaign aims to raise $1.5 million. Since its founding, the nonprofit has raised $46 million, with 93% of funds going directly to programs.

JPMorganChase serves as the National Presenting Sponsor for the 11th year. Additional partners include American Airlines, FirstNet®, GEHA, and the VA National Cemetery Administration.