FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hartford Marathon Foundation Aims to Donate 12,000 lbs of Food in 2016
Race organization facilitates food, clothing and supply donations across CT
February 25, 2016, Glastonbury, CT – The nonprofit Hartford Marathon
Foundation (HMF) is asking runners to help collect 12,000 pounds of
non-perishable foods at HMF race events this year. Introduced in 2015, the
"HMF Can" initiative encourages runners to bring donations on race day to
be provided to food banks within the communities that race events are held.
More than 10,000 pounds of food was donated in 2015 through HMF Can
donations. Last year, 900 pounds was gathered at the Harvard Pilgrim
Middletown Half Marathon to benefit the Amazing Grace Food Pantry,
reportedly their biggest ever one-time donation. HMF is hoping to beat
that record at the April 3, 2016, Middletown event.
The 2016 HMF Can drive will be kicked off on Friday, February 26 from
3:00-6:00 pm, and Saturday, February 27 from 9:00 am-noon during the HMF
Apparel Warehouse Sale at 41 Sequin Drive in Glastonbury. Everyone that
brings 3+ pounds of non-perishable food to donate will receive a free HMF
race shirt (while supplies last).
"Runners appreciate when communities open up their roads for races and HMF
Can provides a simple way to give back, just by adding a few cans and boxes
of food to their race day rituals," said Beth Shluger, Executive Director
and CEO of Hartford Marathon Foundation. "We're committed to producing
races that show off the best of these communities; it's important to us
that the only thing we'll leave behind after an event is a positive
impact."
In addition to hosting HMF Can drives, HMF also donates food leftover from
race events to local groups. The Eversource Hartford Marathon, HMF's
largest event with approximately 14,000 participants in 2015, produced a
total donation of 4,129 pounds, from apples and bagels to loaves of bread
and bananas. Recipients included Open Hearth, South Park Inn and Food
Share.
The Foundation is committed to sustainability efforts and proactively seeks
opportunities to donate, reuse or repurpose as part of post-event
operations. Approximately 460 pounds in compost materials and 6,360 pounds
of recycling were produced at the Eversource Hartford Marathon. Clothing
donations from the event totaled 1,700 pounds. Donate Life CT supported
the effort, with volunteers stuffing 35 bags of discarded sweatshirts,
hats, gloves and other layers shed by race participants along the race
course. Donations went to local shelters and charities. Another 440
pounds of clothing was donated from the HMF Warehouse to Goodwill to be
distributed to 14 store locations across Connecticut.
For more information on the HMF Can initiative or to register for 2016
events, please visit www.hartfordmarathon.com.
About the Hartford Marathon Foundation
The Hartford Marathon Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit organization founded
in 1994 to create and manage fitness events that inspire people to be
healthy and fit. Located in Glastonbury, Connecticut, the Hartford Marathon
Foundation organizes approximately 42 annual athletic races, including the
Eversource Hartford Marathon and Half Marathon, and training programs for
young runners. For more information, visit www.HartfordMarathon.com and
follow on Facebook at HMF Events, Twitter at @runHMF and Instagram at
HMF_Events.
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