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The San Francisco Marathon(tm) non-profit makes it easy for runners to give back to the community
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - (May 6, 2008) - The San Francisco Marathon(tm)
announced today that its program Cause to Run (C2R) (tm), a fundraising
program with the goal of supporting local non-profits in their
fundraising efforts has selected 18 teams to raise funds for local causes
including AIDS Research, Breast Cancer Research, Brain Tumor Research,
Organ Donation, Youth Running and more. Since 2003, Cause to Run has
helped to raise over $3 million dollars in charity donations. Through
Cause to Run, non-profit organizations are given the tools they need to
create fundraising teams in preparation for the upcoming San Francisco
Marathon at no cost to them or participants. The 2008 Annual San
Francisco Marathon is scheduled for Sunday, August 3.
Participants who register for any of the five San Francisco Marathon
events (full marathon, two half marathons, 5K or progressive marathon)
can join one of the Cause to Run teams, and fundraise for that specific
cause. In comparison to other programs available, there is no cost to
participate, and no minimum fundraising requirements, making it easy for
participants to raise money and encourage participation.
"We live in a beautiful city that just happens to be one of the premier
running destination in the world," said Meghan Steed, Director of Cause
to Run. "The San Francisco Marathon is not only 26.2 miles of beautiful
scenery but a vehicle that connects us to every neighborhood it touches.
Cause to Run is a great program because it makes it that much easier for
people to give back to their communities while accomplishing a great
feat."
The goal of Cause to Run is to offer non-profits an opportunity to fund
raise through an established event at no cost to them. This way the
non-profit can focus on fundraising instead of event management. The
program allows non-profits to promote causes that might not have the
capital and means to create their own events to raise funds through
running.
"Cause to Run has helped to raise awareness for Team Parkinson, and
enabled our organization to grow in the Bay Area," said Jennifer
Bugnatto, the San Francisco Bay Area chair of Team Parkinson. "We have
participants that have been with us several years now after discovering
us on the Cause to Run website. The exposure has lead to increased
donations in our mission to find a cure for Parkinson's Disease."
The marathon has been part of the San Francisco community for the past 30
years. With Cause to Run, the marathon now offers a unique way for San
Franciscans and participants from all over the world to support their
favorite cause. Cause to Run encourages race entrants to support any of
the marathon's 18 official charity organizations. Charitable donors can
also support RunSFM Youth Outreach, or any Cause to Run charity, without
entering the marathon or companion events.
"We want our program to represent the Bay Area and support locally owned
and operated non-profit organizations," said Steed. "At this year's
marathon we hope to surpass our goal of $1 million and raise even more
for the community."
Organizations Supported by Cause to Run include:
CA Breast Cancer Research, Charities Challenge, Ekal Marathon, Everyone
Needs a Hero, Flip Flop Foundation, Karno Kids, Organs R Us, Racing
Ahead, Refugee Transition, RunSFM Team, Run Against AIDS, SFCAPC Kid
Runners, Shine for the Shrine, Speeders for Bleeders, Team Cathay, Team
Engeye, Team Lou - Running to Defeat ALS, Team Oasis HS, WCRC, World
Bridges. A complete list of organizations is available here:
RunSFM.com.
About Cause to Run:
The program started 4 years ago in conjunction with The San Francisco
Marathon. They were approached by many small charitable organizations who
wanted to organize their own running races to raise money, but the costs
to organize such an event were prohibitive. In order to address this
need, The San Francisco Marathon created Cause to Run. Now partnering
with 18 organizations, The San Francisco Marathon helps these
organizations raise hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. More
information about Cause to Run can be found here:
RunSFM.com.
About The San Francisco Marathon(tm)
The San Francisco Marathon enjoys success as the premier summertime
marathon in the U.S. San Francisco's blend of natural beauty, big city
charm, and perfect mid-summer running temperatures, make marathon running
in San Francisco a truly magical experience. Race events include a full
marathon, two half marathons (choose a half), 5K, and Progressive
Marathon. The event's unique Cause to Run program has raised $3 million
for local non-profit organizations since 2003. For more information about
the marathon, visit us online at RunSFM.com.
The 2008 San Francisco Marathon is sponsored by JetBlue, Saturn, Cytomax,
Organs R Us, Headsweats, Smoothie King, and Athletic Endurance.
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