Helping to support a few of the organizations that serve the community while getting individuals and families involved in a healthy activity, are just a few of the missions of Highmark Inc.’s 12th Annual Walk for a Healthy Community, which was held May 17 at Stage AE in Pittsburgh’s North Shore area.
Approximately 8,000 individuals came together to participate in the 5K and one-mile “fun walk” to benefit 69 local nonprofit health and human service organizations from the Greater Pittsburgh area.
Highmark Inc. Senior Vice President of Community Affairs Evan Frazier said he was very proud of the turnout at the annual fundraising walk. “To see the wave of people and to see the smiles on people’s faces, for me, that was confirmation that people really enjoyed it. So not only did they do a good thing by participating and supporting the agencies, but they enjoyed it. It became an important family-friendly day which also helps to encourage health and wellness.”
The walk began in 2003 as a way for Highmark to support many of the nonprofits that seek their assistance for their individual fundraisers while also fulfilling their mission of creating healthier, stronger communities.
This year, Highmark will host walks in Harrisburg, Bethlehem, Johnstown, Erie, and its recent addition, Wilmington, Del., in an effort to raise $1 million for more than 190 organizations throughout Pennsylvania and Delaware. With more than $800,000 raised thus far from the two out of six walks, almost $400,000 of that from the Pittsburgh walk alone, Frazier said they are more than confident that they will meet their goal. To date, the walk has raised $6.5 million for nonprofits across the state.
“There are many nonprofits that come to Highmark seeking support with their fundraiser… Many of the small nonprofits are unable to orchestrate a walk, from the financial resources to the human resources,” said Atiya Abdelmalik, director of Community Programs and Employee Volunteerism at Highmark Inc. “So this gave us an opportunity to be a leader in the field and to create the walk.”
“We see this as not only a very efficient way, but a very effective way in supporting our community nonprofits in a way that helps build healthy, strong communities and that really honors the work of the nonprofits. It allows us to build into making contributions each year into the community through these wonderful service agencies,” Frazier added.
Participants of the walk are given the opportunity to designate the organization they would like to walk for. The more walkers each organization gathers, the more money it raises.
The costs for the walk, which takes place at Stage AE and travels through the North Shore, across the Ninth Street Bridge to Downtown and along the Allegheny River, are completely underwritten by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. Frazier said one hundred percent of all the monies raised goes back to the organizations to be used for their operations.
Denise Williams, executive director of Mt. Ararat Community Activity Center, of Mt. Ararat Baptist Church, which is one of the organizations supported by the walk, participated in the walk along with approximately 175 others from the church.
“I was so excited to participate and see all the families, and it was a way to bring all of our community and our church members together. The great thing is that this walk is community wide and everyone can participate,” said Williams.
She said her organization once thought about creating a walk of their own, but did know how to go about it, so having Highmark do so was a big help.
“Highmark does an excellent job facilitating the event and that’s a beautiful thing. It’s our fourth year participating and it’s great to be able to focus on getting the walkers, and not have to worry about the logistics and cost.”
Williams said although they are still collecting money, the Activity Center has raised almost $10,000 that will be used to fund their food bank and their computer training, senior, young adult and early childhood development programs.
But not only does the event help to financially support the nonprofits, it also helps to give individuals exposure to what other resources are out there and available to them. At the designated site, each organization is given an opportunity to set up an information booth.
“When you think about 69 nonprofits servicing all types of health and human service needs in one venue, not only do you have walkers coming to support that one nonprofit, but you have exposure for the 68 other (ones),” said Abdelmalik. “So people can really see these are the organizations that are the fabric that really tie our community together.”
Just as supporting the community nonprofits is important to Highmark, so is getting individuals engaged and promoting healthier lifestyles.
“Because this again is a two fold thing. We want people to engage in healthier lifestyles. We want to be able to kick off a walk that allows people to bring their families and to create and embed physical activity into their daily lives,” said Abdelmalik.
Natasha Harris, who walked in support of the YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh, said, “I never knew that this walk was this big. My job participated and we had a ball. Personally, the walk was good for me. I had never done a 5K before and it was important for me to do it and finish. It didn’t matter to me how long it took and how I did it; the big accomplishment is that I finished. As I was finishing up, my co-worker, Tamara Troop, came and got me and we ran across the finish line together.”
As for the future, Frazier and Abdelmalik said Highmark is committed to continuing to meet their goal of $1 million, and to get more walkers and more organizations to participate. They also said the walk is a collaborative effort and that they’d like to thank the volunteers, community leaders and entertainers who gave of their time and talent in support of the event.
“There is this spirit of giving in the walk that represents who we are and who we’re becoming as a company,” said Abdelmalik.
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