NEW ORLEANS (NOLA WEEKEND) - With the 45th annual Adelphi Crescent City Classic less than one month away, more than a dozen participating New Orleans-area nonprofits announced a goal of raising $1 million at this year’s race returning on April 8.
The Crescent City Classic also announced the list of 18 charity organizations it’s supporting with this year’s “Run for It!” program. For these charities, the Easter weekend 10k is more than just a race, including two prominent organizations making a difference in the New Orleans area: Split Second Foundation and Team Gleason.
Founded by Mark Raymond Jr, Split Second Foundation’s mission is to break barriers for people with disabilities, advocate for their rights, fund cutting-edge research and provide clear-cut steps to immediately improve their quality of life. Raymond also opened Split Second Fitness as the first facility in Louisiana dedicated to people living with paralysis, stroke or amputation.
“All of this started with my personal experience navigating the healthcare system and inevitability feeling isolated and left to fend for myself,” Raymond said.
Team Gleason, founded in 2011, has provided over $20 million in adventure, technology, equipment, and care services to over 30,000 people living with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and countless others through advocacy, support and ultimately bringing an end to the disease.
Kearney Gay, Director of Development at Team Gleason, says the Crescent City Classic creates a unique way for people to get involved in supporting local causes.
“Some people don’t know the full scope of what Team Gleason has become and grown into,” Gay said. “We help people in all 50 states now; we’re working with partners like Google and Microsoft.”
The participating nonprofits are (new charities for 2023 in italics):
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
- Animal Rescue of New Orleans (ARNO)
- Bastion Community of Resilience
- Boys and Girls Club of Metro New Orleans
- Boys Hope Girls Hope
- CASA Jefferson
- Clover (formerly Kingsley House)
- Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana
- Community Center of St. Bernard
- Covenant House
- Girls on the Run
- Giving Hope
- Junior League of New Orleans
- Kids Join the Fight
- No Days Offline
- Split Second Foundation
- Team Gleason
- Youth Run NOLA
The unique “Run for It!” program’s milestone of raising more than $6 million to support nearly 30 nonprofits was first conceived by CCC officials Ricky Thomas and Eric Stuart nine years ago.
As part of the “Run for It!” program, the Crescent City Classic provides charity race bibs/numbers and donates incentives to each participating nonprofit. The nonprofit partners then recruit and organize teams of runners and walkers who commit to raising a minimum of $200 for their charity by race day. Official charity runners receive various perks and incentives as part of the “Run for It!” program including a commemorative t-shirt only available to charity runners, prime starting position in the charity corral, and a personal online fundraising page.
“The New Orleans community never ceases to amaze us with their generosity when it comes to charitable giving and supporting those in need throughout the area,” Crescent City Classic race director Eric Stuart said in a release. “All we can hope is to continue to outdo ourselves year after year.”
The Adelphi Crescent City Classic 10k road race, annually attracts almost 20,000 runners and walkers. This year, for its 45th running, the Classic will run down its traditional route beginning at the Caesars Superdome and ending at New Orleans City Park.
The 6.2-mile challenge is also available as virtual challenger to runners nationwide to run any course of their choice. Registration is open now at http://www.ccc10k.com. For more information on the Adelphi Crescent City Classic “Run For It!” program, visit https://www.ccc10k.com/run-for-it.html.
Created in partnership with the Adelphi Crescent City Classic
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