HOUSTON (May 7, 2015) – The Houston Marathon Committee on Thursday announced the official charities for the 2015-2016 Chevron Houston Marathon Run for a Reason charity program. The new charity lineup offers a variety of important causes including medical research and support, community outreach, animal protection and more.Linking 33,000 runners with 61 official charities, the Run for a Reason charity program provides an avenue for race participants, individuals and organizations to collect donations on behalf of an official charity of their choice. It also provides a platform for charities to raise awareness and educate others about their cause.

“The RFAR initiative generated over 19,000 donations this year, and surpassed the $2.5 million plateau for the second consecutive year primarily due to the generous running community in Houston and the wonderful charities who participated,” said HMC Executive Director Wade Moredhead.  “Interest and awareness of the RFAR program is at an all-time high, and we hope the result is a record number of fund-raising runners for these 61 official charities participating next January.”

The 2014-2015 season marked the fifth year in a row that fundraising surpassed the $2 million mark. Since the program’s inception in 1995, more than $22 million has been raised to benefit various charities.

How to participate
The Run for a Reason program offers guaranteed ways to enter the Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon.

Beginning on May 6th, a limited number of guaranteed charity entries became available on a first-come, first-served basis. “HERO” charity entries enable runners to make an upfront, tax-deductible donation of at least $350 to an official Run for a Reason charity of their choice, plus the cost of registration, to secure a guaranteed race entry. More information on “HERO” entries can be found at www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com/RunForAReason/HeroesRegistration.cfm. Individuals can also purchase a guaranteed entry for someone else through the “Gift a HERO” program.

Beginning June 3rd, a limited number of “Fundraising for Registration” (FFR) charity entries will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. “Fundraising for Registration” charity entries give runners an opportunity to fundraise for an official Run for a Reason charity of their choice and receive a guaranteed race entry. Participating charities set their own fundraising minimums and deadlines, and runners should contact the organizations directly. More information can be found at www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com/RunForAReason/FundraisingForRegistration.cfm.

The 2016 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon are scheduled for Sunday, January 17, 2016, while the ABB 5K will be held the day before on Saturday, January 16.

The 2015-2016 Chevron Houston Marathon Official Run for a Reason charities are listed below and can also be found at www.RunforaReasonHouston.org.

2015-2016 Official Chevron Houston Marathon Run for a Reason Charities

3 “A” Bereavement Foundation
ALS Association, TX Chapter
Alzheimer’s Association, Houston & SE TX Chapter
American Heart Association
American Liver Foundation
Avondale House
Be An Angel Fund, Inc.
Bel Inizio
Bo’s Place
Buffalo Bayou Partnership
The Cade R. Alpard Foundation for Pediatric Liver Disease
CanCare, Inc.
Child Advocates, Inc.
Citizens for Animal Protection
Collaborative for Children
Covenant House TX
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Down Syndrome Association of Houston
Dress for Success Houston
Elves & More
Epilepsy Foundation of TX
Family Services of Greater Houston
Houston Aphasia Recovery Center
Houston Area Parkinson Society
Houston Area Women’s Center
Houston Food Bank
Houston Habitat for Humanity
Houston Marathon Foundation
Houston Police Foundation
Houston SPCA
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
Kids’ Meals, Inc.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Living Water International
Lupus Foundation of America, TX Gulf Coast Chapter
Marathon Kids
Memorial Hermann Foundation
National Kidney Foundation
Open Door Mission
Organization for Autism Research
Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy
The Parish School
Pink Ribbons Project
Presbyterian Children’s Homes & Services
REACH Unlimited
Ronald McDonald House Houston
The Salvation Army of Greater Houston
San Jose Clinic
SEARCH Homeless Services
Snowdrop Foundation
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Star of Hope Mission
Sunshine Kids Foundation
Texas Center for the Missing
Texas Children’s Hospital
The Todd Krampitz Foundation
Vanessa’s Big Heart Foundation
Vita-Living, Inc.
The Women’s Home
Young Audiences of Houston
Young Texans Against Cancer

 

 

 

About the Houston Marathon Committee, Inc.Established in 1972, the Houston Marathon Committee, Inc. (HMC), a Running USA Founding Member, annually organizes the nation’s premier winter marathon, half-marathon, and 5K. Over 250,000 participants, volunteers and spectators make Chevron Houston Marathon Race Day the largest single-day sporting event in Houston. Race Weekend generates over $50 million in economic impact for the region annually. In 2015, the Run for a Reason Charity Program raised $2.5 million and the HMC retained Gold Certification from the Council of Responsible Sport for industry-leading sustainability initiatives. Host to 16 U.S. Half Marathon Championships since 2005 and the 1992 women’s Olympic Trials Marathon, the HMC conducted the nationally-televised 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon, which featured men and women competing on the same course simultaneously for the first time, vying for the chance to represent Team USA at the 2012 Olympic Games.
For more information, visit www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com   or call 713.957.3453.

 

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