Boston Marathon participants who ran on behalf of more than 200 non-profit organizations raised $34.2 million for charity in the 121st year of the historic race. The fundraising total represents a 12 percent increase, or $3.6 million, over 2016’s results, according to John Hancock, the marathon sponsor.
Total funds include $17.96 million raised through the Boston Athletic Association’s Official Charity Program, $12.3 million raised through John Hancock’s Non-Profit Program, and $3.97 million from other qualified and invitational runners.
Most of the fundraising runners gained entry through the B.A.A. and John Hancock programs, which provide non-profits with guaranteed entries (“bibs”) that enable runners to fundraise for their organizations.
“As we reflect on this year’s race and the enormous fundraising it generated, we’re again reminded of the power of our community,” said B.A.A. CEO Tom Grilk. “While the race means so much to those who compete within it, it means just as much for the communities which surround it. We’re honored to be associated with such profound goodwill.”
“For the ninth consecutive year, we set a new fundraising record in the John Hancock program, and we celebrate our non-profit runners for their commitment and generosity,” said Michael Doughty, interim president and chief executive officer of John Hancock. “We are proud to continue to leverage our 32-year principal sponsorship of the Boston Marathon to provide meaningful support to our community partners.”
“We are extremely grateful to have been in John Hancock’s program for the past four years, and the Boston Marathon has quickly become one of our top fundraising initiatives,” said Dan Cummings, executive director of Journey Forward. “We raised $126,350 in 2017, which will help us purchase the appropriate high-tech equipment necessary to give our clients the best opportunity to improve.”
John Hancock again partnered with CrowdRise to offer a centralized online platform to capture Boston Marathon fundraising. The site (www.crowdrise.com/2017bostonmarathon) showcases all the 2017 partner non-profit organizations and features the personal stories of the runners who supported them.
Over the past 32 years, the official B.A.A. Charity Program and John Hancock’s Non-Profit Program have combined to raise more than $297 million for community-based organizations.
