CHARITIES

Charities
Every year, the Pittsburgh Marathon's Run for a Reason program,
presented by Guardian Storage, raises more than $1 million to benefit
charities in Western Pennsylvania and across the country. Check out this
year’s four partner charities and find out how you can get involved with
their important causes.
Partner Charities
Animal Rescue League Shelter &
Wildlife Center
In its third year as a partner charity, Animal Rescue
League Shelter & Wildlife Center is proud to have
more runners supporting it than any other charity.
With a mission to care for all abandoned or injured domestic and wild
animals, the funds from the race help provide medical care, spay/neuter
services, adoption services, and community outreach. “Some runners tell
me it motivates them to do the training, raise the money, and get up at
3 a.m. to run the morning of the marathon because they are passionate
about our cause,” says Ann Yeager, director of marketing. So far, runners
have raised $225,000, and Executive Director Dan Rossi says he will get
a tattoo of the DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon logo if he can
raise $10,000 himself. It will look great next to his tattoo of the Animal
Rescue League logo, which he earned for reaching the $10,000 mark last
year! Animal Rescue League & Wildlife Center, 6620 Hamilton Ave., East
Liberty. 412.345.7300. animalrescue.org.
Children’s Hospital
of Pittsburgh Foundation
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC is a leader
in caring for sick children in Western Pennsylvania and
beyond. As its sole fundraising arm, the Children’s
Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation works to ensure that
the hospital continues to receive the support it needs to provide excellence in
patient care, teaching, and research. Keep an eye out for Run for Children’s team
members during the race, who are fundraising for the foundation and spreading
word of the organization’s positive impact in the city. Most of the team members
are hospital staff members, former patients, or current patients’ loved ones.
“Through hours of training, dedication, sacrifice, and perseverance, our runners
are not only racing to accomplish their own personal goals, but also to support
the mission of Children’s Hospital to give kids hope for a healthier future,” says
Laura Swisher, Director of Annual Giving. “We are so grateful for each and every
runner.” Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation, 1 Children’s Hospital
Drive, 4401 Penn Ave., Bloomfield. 877.CHP.GIVE. givetochildrens.org.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital fondly refers
to its runners as “heroes.” These runners take on
the race to raise money for the national research
and treatment facility, which cares for patients with
childhood cancers, sickle cell anemia, childhood HIV/
AIDS, and other diseases. “We, at St. Jude, are
so proud that 80 cents of every single dollar donated is directly spent on the
children and families that need it most,” says Taylor Kuhn, event marketing
representative. “It costs $1.9 million a day to operate St. Jude, and the
incredible thing is that no family will ever receive a bill from us. Our belief is that
the parents’ only worry should be getting their children healthy.” The race is a
major fundraiser for the hospital, and usually raises $75,000 annually. This year,
the heroes are striving to raise $100,000 to support St. Jude’s patients and
families — their highest goal to date! St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital,
105 Braunlich Dr., Suite 420, Ross Township. 412.695.8400. stjude.org.
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W hi r l / MAY 20 1 4 Pi t t sburgh M a rat hon G ui d e
Team in Training
As supporters of the Leukemia &
Lymphoma Society, members of
Team in Training are constantly
training for and running marathons
across the U.S. In fact, the team
is the largest endurance sports
training and fundraising program in the world! While they
log the miles, the runners also share the Leukemia and
Lymphoma Society’s mission to cure leukemia, lymphoma,
Hodgkin’s disease, and myeloma, and improve the quality
of life of patients and their families. All of the fundraisers
Team in Training completes go to supporting patient aid
and funding research. The team members have already
raised $70,000 through the 2014 DICK’S Sporting Goods
Pittsburgh Marathon and are looking forward to running
their favorite race again. “The City of Pittsburgh is known
for how enthusiastic its people are and just how proud
they are to be from here,” says Sara Clarke, campaign
coordinator. “That in itself creates such energy for this
event.” Team in Training, 333 E. Carson St., South Side.
412.395.2873. teamintraining.org.
Chatting with the Charity
The runners who fundraise for these charities
are incredible, and the charities are just as grateful for
the support. We chatted with Ben Herring, marketing
coordinator at the Mario Lemieux Foundation, to get his take
on the Pittsburgh Marathon’s Run For a Reason Program.
What are the main
causes The Mario Lemieux
Q & A
Foundation supports?
Ben Herring: The Mario
Lemieux Foundation’s main focus
is cancer research and patient care, as well as Austin’s
Playroom Project. This initiative creates playrooms for
children and families in medical facilities.
How can runners support the Mario
Lemieux Foundation?
BH: Runners can support the Foundation by raising funds
through Crowdrise, as well as wearing Foundation and
#TeamLemieux apparel to all race functions.
How will the funds raised at the race
support the Mario Lemieux Foundation?
BH: The money raised will support a variety of Mario
Lemieux Foundation projects, including the Mario Lemieux
Center for Blood Cancers at the Hillman Cancer Center,
and the establishment and maintenance of Austin’s
Playrooms in Western Pennsylvania medical facilities.
What is your favorite part about
working with the Pittsburgh Marathon’s
Charity Program?
BH: The Pittsburgh Marathon’s Charity Program is a
creative and fun way for our supporters to raise money
for the Mario Lemieux Foundation while engaging in an
activity they love.
Mario Lemieux Foundation, 816 Fifth Ave., Downtown.
412.281.3066. mariolemieux.org.
Photographs from Team in Training, Abbi Nicolella, Annie O’Neill/Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC,
Lauren Stuart/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Keep Running, Girls!
Girls on the Run of Magee-Women’s
Hospital of UPMC is keeping us running! Join
its 12th Annual Girls on the Run Spring 5K on
May 18. Participants of Girls on the Run’s
12-week program have been training for the
annual race and learning how to live confident
lifestyles. Held at the Hartwood Acres
concert area at 9 a.m., the race wraps up the
spring session and funds scholarships for
future participants. Celebrate their successes
and enjoy pre- and post-race family friendly
activities, too! Entries are $20 or $25 on race
day. Girls on the Run of Magee-Womens
Hospital of UPMC, 3380 Boulevard of the
Allies, Oakland. 412.641.1596. gotrmagee.org.
Supporting Charities
Visit the partner, platinum, gold, silver, and
bronze charities’ websites, and learn how
you can help, too!
Platinum Charities:
• Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Western PA Chapter,
cff.org/chapters/wpa
• Dirty Vagabond Ministries, dirtyvagabond.com
• Gilda’s Club Western PA , gildasclubwesternpa.org
• Mario Lemieux Foundation, mariolemieux.org
• Susan G. Komen Pittsburgh, komenpittsburgh.org
• Urban Impact Foundation, uifpgh.org
• Western PA Humane Society, wpahumane.org
Gold Charities:
• American Heart Association, heart.org
• Free Wheelchair Mission, freewheelchairmission.org
• Genre’s Kids with Cancer Fund, genreskids.com
• Girls on the Run of Magee-Women’s Hospital of
UMPC, gotrmagee.org
• Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank,
pittsburghfoodbank.org
• Haiti H20, haitih2o.org
• Imagine No Malaria, imaginenomalaria.org
• JDRF, jdrf.org
• Light of Life Rescue Mission, lightoflife.org
• T he Miracle League of South Hills, Casey’s Clubhouse,
miracleleaguesouthhills.org
• Organization for Autism Research, researchautism.org
• Pittsburgh Kids Foundation, pittsburghkidsfoundation.org
• RSG1 Foundation, rsg1foundation.com
• Running for Laptops, fswp.org/running-for-laptops
• The Pittsburgh Promise, pittsburghpromise.org
Silver Charities:
• ABOARD’s Autism Connection of PA, autism-support.org
• Cody’s Crew Foundation, codys-crew.org
• Cutch’s Crew for Pirates Charities,
cutch22.com/pittsburgh-marathon
• Joshua House Community Center, joshuahousetyrone.org
• N ational MS Society, Western PA Chapter,
nationalmssociety.org
• North Hills Community Outreach, nhco.org
• Steel City Greyhounds, steelcitygreyhounds.org
• The Lazarus Center, thelazaruscenter.org
• The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, lls.org
• Will Run For Food/St. Luke Church, stlukecabot.org
• Women’s Choice Network,
mypregnancycenter.org/marathon
• World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh, worldpittsburgh.org
• YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh, ymcaofpittsburgh.org
Bronze Charities:
• Alzheimer’s Association, alz.org
• The Oasis/CLEAR, oasisrecoverycenter.org
• Team RWB, teamrwb.org
• The Wayne Foundation, waynefdn.org
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