The Long Island Coalition Against Bullying is holding their first 5K walk/run to raise money for resources that help prevent bullying.

Participants gathered in Eisenhower Park Sunday morning to take part in the event.

The nonprofit organization was launched in 2013 after its founder witnessed a person with a disability and his family being bullied by visitors in an emergency room on Long Island.

The coalition aims to prevent bullying through education and other resources.

Organizers say bullying has gotten worse during the pandemic.

“The pandemic forced kids to be more cyber-oriented, on their screens, their phones, because they weren’t in school so that really kicked up the increase in the cyber bullying portion of it,” says Joe Salamone, of the coalition. “And now that they’re all back in school on top of each other, none of them really dealt with their emotions properly with the impacts of the pandemic had on them. And now that they’re all back together on top of each other and in school face-to-face again, those kinds of feelings are coming out, you know, micro-aggressions and some anger, and things towards each other.”

Participants are hoping to raise $20,000 at the event.