September 20, 2021 (Philadelphia, PA) – The inaugural Back on My Feet Running Festival is in progress, as the virtual race kicked off this Saturday and will continue through Saturday, September 25. The goal of this nationwide virtual running event is to bring together hundreds of runners across the country in support of Back on My Feet’s mission and raise money for programs that improve the lives of people experiencing homelessness.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all the organization’s in-person community races in 2020 became virtual races. It is in that spirit that the Back on My Feet Running Festival was created, bringing together the most popular distances from across their slate of events to give participants a host of options to choose from.
To date, more than 800 people have signed up to run, and the organization has raised more than $370,000 toward Back on My Feet’s mission of combating homelessness through the power of running, community support and essential employment and housing resources.
“We are so grateful for BBI, Cigna, and HOKA ONE ONE for getting involved and making moves that matter with us,” said Katy Sharratt, Back on My Feet Chief Executive Officer. “By partnering with Back on My Feet, these companies help drive the success of our Members and Alumni through financial support and employee engagement, and in turn we help our partners accomplish their community, marketing, business and employee engagement objectives.”
Presenting sponsor Burdette Beckmann, Inc. (BBI), a national sales agency that prioritizes solution-based strategies by combining expertise in sales, marketing, and analytics, is a longtime supporter of Back on My Feet.
“We are thrilled to make a difference on the streets and in our community through working with Back on My Feet,” said Burdette Beckmann, Inc. Chief Executive Officer, Robert Taylor. Taylor describes participating in the Running Festival as a real way to put meaning behind miles walked or ran.
Elite Level partners of the Back on My Feet Running Festival include Cigna and HOKA ONE ONE. The Back on My Feet Running Festival is also supported at the Endurance Level by Aerotek, Balega, Bimbo Bakeries USA, GU Energy, Molex, and On Running.
Registration for single distances (5k, 10k, 15k, 30k) is $30 and is open until September 25. For more information, head to https://support.backonmyfeet.org/bomfrunningfestival.
Since its founding, Back on My Feet has helped more than 7,500 individuals secure jobs and homes with the help of more than 150,000 volunteers and supporters. To learn more about the transformative work that Back on My Feet is doing, visit backonmyfeet.org.
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ABOUT BACK ON MY FEET
Operating in 14 major cities coast-to-coast, Back on My Feet recruits members at homeless and addiction facilities and begins with a commitment to run three days a week. The second phase of the program, Next Steps, provides educational support, job training programs, employment partnership referrals and housing resources. Back on My Feet has helped more than 7,500 individuals secure jobs and homes with the help of more than 150,000 volunteers and supporters. Every $1 invested in Back on My Feet returns nearly $2.50 to the local community through increased economic output and cost savings. For more information, visit backonmyfeet.org.
ABOUT BBI
With a legacy of over 60 years, BBI’s mission is to provide innovative solutions centered on short-term strategy, long-term growth, and unique capabilities in omnichannel and traditional segments while giving back to our community.
ABOUT CIGNA
As a global health service company, Cigna’s mission is to improve the health, well-being, and peace of mind of those we serve by making health care simple, affordable, and predictable.
ABOUT HOKA ONE ONE
At HOKA, our goal is to inspire people to move. We want to empower all athletes to act fearlessly and creatively, to drive forward with purpose and passion – and with an “always-on” mindset for innovation and thinking outside the box, we craft bold and unexpected new solutions for athletes of all types.
We aim to amplify voices and help provide access to running, walking, fitness and the outdoors. We believe everyone is an athlete. And however you find joy in movement, HOKA has your back.
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Contacts:
Ashley Austin, Communications Manager (media@backonmyfeet.org)