NEWS RELEASE Contact:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Kristin Shaw, Director of Communications
February 19, 2018 kristin@marathonkids.org
512-477-1259
MARATHON KIDS AWARDS OVER $1 MILLION IN FUNDING TO ESTABLISH RUN CLUBS FOR KIDS ACROSS AMERICA
AUSTIN, Texas – Marathon Kids, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health and happiness of children by engaging them in a positive, simple, goal-driven running and walking program, announced today the results of their Marathon Kids national grants for the 2017-2018 school year. Marathon Kids is funded primarily by corporate and private sponsors to help kids all over the United States create running clubs.
For this school year, Marathon Kids was able to provide $1,057,000 of funding to 568 run clubs — and help 63,675 Marathon Kids get running. Grants were awarded to recipients across 44 states, prioritizing schools and communities of high-need to receive grants; more than 93% of recipients have a large percentage of students enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program. Forty percent of recipients are brand new to the Marathon Kids program, receiving vital funding to help them jump-start the program for the first time.
Grant recipients received awards in the fall that allowed them to register their awarded number of participants for the Marathon Kids program at no cost. Schools have been running and walking since, and many students have met their first marathon milestone (26.2 miles) and are working towards their 2nd, 3rd and 4th marathon milestones before the season’s end.
“We are grateful to all of our sponsors who support the Marathon Kids mission to get kids moving and show them the joys and benefits of being active for life,” said Marathon Kids CEO Cami Hawkins. “We couldn’t do what we do without our community.”
This year’s sponsors include Nike, HEB Grocery Company, Target, The St. David’s Foundation, Fuel up to Play 60, The LA Dodgers Foundation, and The Austin Community Foundation.
For more information on the grant: https://marathonkids.org/
ABOUT MARATHON KIDS
Marathon Kids helps kids unlock their potential and adults discover their inner coach by joining, starting or supporting a Marathon Kids running club in their home, school, out-of-school time organization or camp.
Kids in the program work at their own pace to run, or walk, the equivalent mileage of up to four marathons, and Marathon Kids provides the training, rewards, tools and resources to keep them moving. Marathon Kids works for any kid, at any fitness level. Kids set their goals and track their progress on a journey to complete four marathons, or 104.8 miles, over the course of the running club season. They run (or walk) a lap at a time, at a day at a time, and before they know it they’ve gone farther than they ever dreamed. Kids enrolled in the program have a network of dedicated adults showing them how it’s done, and most importantly, a motivated and inspiring coach supporting them every step of the way.
Corporate partners and supporters include Nike, HEB, the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, Active Schools, USATF Foundation, American Diabetes Association, Target, Tejas Trails, Athletes for Hope, LA Dodgers Foundation, and St. David’s Foundation.
More information is available at marathonkids.org.
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