The IRONMAN Foundation Community Fund will distribute US$35,000 in grant funding to non-profit initiatives and groups in the greater Cambridge, Maryland, community in conjunction with the 2015 IRONMAN Maryland triathlon presented by Transamerica – which takes place on Saturday 3 October 2015.
The IRONMAN Foundation Community Fund provides community and volunteer grant opportunities to non-profit organizations where US IRONMAN events are held. With this most recent donation from The IRONMAN Foundation, a total of US$96,000 has been given back to the Cambridge community across both IRONMAN Maryland and IRONMAN 70.3 Eagleman events since the races began.
In 2015, The IRONMAN Foundation will provide more than US$1.5 million to support the needs of IRONMAN race communities across North America.
Community grants
The IRONMAN Foundation provides charitable support to a variety of local non-profit organizations that recognize citizens in need and support The Foundation’s mission. The Foundation works with community leaders to identify projects and initiatives and to provide funding in order to support worthwhile causes.
This year, The IRONMAN Foundation’s Community Fund will provide a US$10,000 community grant to the Dorchester County YMCA, who will use the funding to purchase a vehicle that will assist in making their youth programs more accessible in a community that has little to no access to public transportation.
“We live in community where oftentimes parents and grandparents simply cannot or do not have access or the ability to transport their children to and from the Y,” said JoAnn Hansen, CEO of the Dorchester County YMCA.
“We are so grateful to IRONMAN for supporting opportunities to keep kids active and engaged in YMCA activities that provide kids with a safe place… a place to belong… a place where they can learn, grow and thrive while under the watchful eyes and nurturing care of trained staff.”
Steve Culver, Board member of the Dorchester County YMCA and past participant of IRONMAN Maryland and IRONMAN Lake Placid, also commented, “As an IRONMAN athlete, I understand how important a host community is to an athlete’s overall IRONMAN experience and to achieving their race goals.
“The support and commitment Dorchester County showed to the IRONMAN athletes last year was simply amazing, and the support has only gotten better this year. This grant from the IRONMAN Foundation is just another example of how they give back to support the needs of local communities.”
“Grant funding is one way that The IRONMAN Foundation leaves a lasting legacy in the communities where IRONMAN races take place,” said Dave Deschenes, Executive Director of The IRONMAN Foundation. “We are thrilled to support the Cambridge community with these community grant awards.”
The IRONMAN Foundation and the Dorchester County YMCA will be recognized at the Athlete Welcome Ceremony at 18:00 ET on Thursday 1 October 2015 at the Dorchester County Visitor Center Amphitheater.
Volunteer grants
Within IRONMAN’s race communities, The IRONMAN Foundation provides a grant program to support organizations that have a volunteerism component. This year, The IRONMAN Foundation’s Community Fund will provide an additional US$25,000 in volunteer grant donations.
“We are thrilled to expand The IRONMAN Foundation’s reach and impact through volunteer grants in the Cambridge community,” said Christine Perkins, Community Relations Manager for The IRONMAN Foundation.
Last year, volunteer grant funding was distributed among 21 community groups in the region.
Team IMF
TEAM IMF is The IRONMAN Foundation’s fundraising triathlon team. Team members have the opportunity to race in the IRONMAN event of their choice when they commit to raise US$3,000 for The IRONMAN Foundation’s Community Fund.
Athletes participating in this program through the 2015 IRONMAN Maryland triathlon presented by Transamerica have raised over US$128,000, while collectively all of The Foundation’s TEAM IMF athletes have raised over US$783,000 for The IRONMAN Foundation’s Community Fund in 2015.
Featured charity partner
The IRONMAN Foundation has worked with many non-profit organizations in the form of charity partnerships throughout the years. Save the Children is a Featured Charity Partner of the 2015 IRONMAN Maryland triathlon presented by Transamerica.
The charity’s mission is to ‘invest in childhood – every day, in times of crisis and for our future’. They give children a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. With 30 athletes racing at IRONMAN Maryland, The Save the Children team is on track to raise more than US$150,000 for international children’s relief work.
“Save the Children is honoured to be partnering with The IRONMAN Foundation,” said Senior Director of Mass Market Fundraising Robin Van Etten.
“This unique partnership brings our shared values to life by raising significant funds to make a difference in the lives of children in both IRONMAN and Save the Children communities here in the US and around the world.”
He continued, “By joining Team Save the Children, IRONMAN athletes are the real heroes by not only taking on this incredible challenge but also making their race about something bigger than themselves. We are fortunate to have these incredible IRONMAN athletes’ support, whose hard work and dedication are providing hope to millions of children in need.”
Partnering with an IRONMAN or IRONMAN 70.3 event provides a platform for charities to raise awareness and educate others about their cause while raising funds towards their mission. Through these partnerships, US$6,722,715 was raised to support their respective missions in 2014 alone, and US$13.4 million since the beginning of The IRONMAN Foundation’s charity partnership program.
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