Flash 5K to Benefit Local South Bay Charities

Michael Reisman • August 23, 2023

Race Beneficiaries Include College of Adaptive Arts and the American Cancer Society

 


(Saratoga, Calif., August 23, 2023) On Saturday, September 9, Western Digital will host a 5K run/walk which will benefit the College of Adaptive Arts and the American Cancer Society.

 

The “Flash” 5K event will take place at 9am at Western Digital’s Great Oaks San Jose Campus and will be offered both in person and virtually.

 

College of Adaptive Arts (CAA), a 501 c (3) non-profit organization, is a unique institution providing collegiate education to adults with differing abilities. It currently serves 224 students across 12+ states, the majority of whom have been diagnosed with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including Down syndrome and autism.

 

“CAA’s current one and only recurring state funding stream is now being out-paced by the overwhelming demand for these equitable collegiate services, so we rely heavily on fundraisers, grants, and individual donations to continue our mission of providing lifelong, higher education to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” said DeAnna Pursai, co-founder and Executive Director of CAA.

 

The Flash 5K is free to enter, however donations are strongly encouraged.

 

“Western’s Digital’s deep belief in empowerment and resilience led us to select College of Adaptive Arts and the American Cancer Society as beneficiaries of the Flash 5K fun run/walk,” said Rob Soderbery, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Flash Business Unit. “Together, we will continue striving for a world where every individual and every community can adapt, thrive, and conquer whatever challenges come their way.”

 

WHO:                    Western Digital

WHAT:                   “Flash” 5K benefitting College of Adaptive Arts and the American Cancer Society

WHERE:                 5601 Western Oaks Pkwy, San Jose, CA 95119

WHEN:                  Saturday, September 9 (Registration opens at 7am and the race begins at 9am)

INFO:                     https://www.runtheday.com/register/detail/flash-5k-for-caa-cancer-awareness-2023

 

ABOUT WESTERN DIGITAL’S GLOBAL GIVING AND DOING

Western Digital's Global Giving & Doing function honors the company's commitment to exemplifying corporate social responsibility through employee volunteerism, community grants, scholarships, product donations, and when necessary, disaster relief. Its global philanthropic focus areas include STEM Education, Hunger Relief, Equality, and the Environment.


ABOUT THE COLLEGE OF ADAPTIVE ARTS:

College of Adaptive Arts is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to providing a lifelong, equitable collegiate experience to adults with special needs who historically have not had access to college education. The vision of College of Adaptive Arts (CAA) is to empower adults with special needs to creatively transform perception of disability. CAA is an institution of higher education where adults have opportunities to learn from a diverse and rich curriculum that will enable them to live a full and empowered life as successful, contributing members of the community. For more information, or to volunteer and/or donate visit https://www.collegeofadaptivearts.org/


ABOUT THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY:

The mission of the American Cancer Society is to improve the lives of people with cancer and their families through advocacy, research, and patient support, to ensure everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. For more information, visit https://www.cancer.org/

Where the System Ends, CAA Begins. We Built the College We Couldn't Find. CAA Story #12: Student Andre C.

By DeAnna Pursai • May 11, 2026
At only 5 years old, Andre lost his parents and began a long and painful stay in the foster care system, not really having anyone to trust or love him. Eventually he started hanging out with the wrong people and faced his share of troubles. Being developmentally and physically disabled, people often took advantage of him or tried extorting him for money. He met two friends, Nancy and Kristin, through his church and they began helping Andre turn his life around.. Both women began helping Andre at first with essentials, making sure he got meals and into a safe housing situation. Nancy helped Andre get set with a bank account and taught him basic budgeting skills, while Kristin got him involved in stable social environments like College of Adaptive Arts. Now, at age 67, Andre is one of the oldest students currently enrolled in College of Adaptive Arts (CAA), a nonprofit providing higher education for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Every week, Andre looks forward to attending his Innercise class, which focuses on mindfulness, meditation and introspection. “The class helps me feel good about myself,” said Andre. “It helps me calm my mind.” According to Nicole Kim, Executive Director of College of Adaptive Arts, students like Andre who have been sidelined from traditional education are exactly who they are trying to reach. “Andre is proof that education has no expiration date,” said Nicole Kim, Executive Director of College of Adaptive Arts. “No matter your age or ability level, you are never too old to learn, grow and cultivate meaningful relationships” According to Nancy and Kristin, CAA has helped Andre further his education but also regain the trust to make friends and find a safe community of like-minded friends. “After our church closed, Andre really missed being able to share things with others that were important or special to him, and I think he’s found that at CAA,” said Nancy. Since meeting both women and attending CAA, Andre has said he has made the choice to change his life, and that he chooses “The New Andre” everyday.

Where the System Ends, CAA Begins. We Built the College We Couldn’t Find. CAA Story #11: Mimi Giannini and the Bill and Linda Giannini Family Foundation

By DeAnna Pursai • May 4, 2026

Where the System Ends, CAA Begins. We Built the College We Couldn’t Find. CAA Story #10: Ann Lunt

By DeAnna Pursai • April 27, 2026
When Ann Lunt was recovering from foot surgery two years ago, she came across a story about CAA on Channel 7’s “Localish” TV show and she immediately knew it was a place where she belonged. “I love CAA,” Ann said. “Everyone is really friendly and the teachers understand us.” Ann has lived on her own for 20 years and navigates to and from campus by herself. In 2002, she went deaf but was able to get a cochlear implant in 2003 which now helps her hear, however the hearing loss still affects her speech. Despite that, or maybe because of it, Ann’s favorite thing is singing and music. Some of the CAA classes which she enjoys are Adaptive Guitar, Choir, and Music Appreciation. One of her goals is to get into the Songwriting class and learn how to write a song. At age 57, Ann is proof that you never stop learning and growing. “In this world, we need to learn as much as we can,” Ann said. Ann is extremely compassionate and had the idea during Compassion Week to make video messages for foster youth. Growing up in group homes for nearly 15 years, Ann could relate to those experiencing the foster care system and wanted to reach out to them. One of the things Ann loves most about CAA is socializing and making friends. “I’m proud that I have friends who I can talk to,” Ann said. “We have each other’s backs and all root for one another.” Ann is excited to continue her learning journey and hopes that one day she might become an Associate Professor at CAA.

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