Important Event Information

Participation Options:

This is a virtual event with two different options for participation:

Virtual Marathon, walk/run/roll/ride (non-competitive):

• The goal is to travel 26.2 miles during the month of November through intentional exercise, and to use peer-to-peer fundraising to help raise money for The Food Initiative of Greater Stanislaus.
• Your only competition is yourself! Use this as inspiration to get more movement, or to incentivize and liven up your usual exercise.

Virtual Distance Challenge (competitive):

• With a minimum goal of 26.2 miles in the month of November, you can set your own distance goal to travel as many miles on foot as your heart desires, while raising money for The Food Initiative.
• You are competing for distance, but not speed. On November 30, 2021, we will award 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place medals for the greatest distances traveled since November 1. 

Be sure to choose your challenge carefully, we unfortunately aren’t able to switch you once you have registered. 

 

Our Goals

Get moving!

We are all about health, and like you, we know that extends beyond nutrition. We want to encourage both our supporters and our clients to get more intentional movement in our days. It’s a “Movement” movement. 

Raise money!

We live amidst unmatched agricultural abundance, and yet in Stanislaus County, 24% of children are facing hunger. At FIGS, we feed over 60,000 each year, providing HEALTHY food, with higher nutrition standards than any pantry in the US (that we can find, at least.) Healthy food is expensive, and distributing it is more challenging since healthier tends to equal fresher, and less “shelf stable”. Your participation in registration and fundraising activities will help us provide vital nutrition to folks in our own community, especially children. For more information on how you can maximize your fundraising efforts, visit our toolkit. We ask each participant to try to raise a minimum goal of $100 per person. 

Raise awareness!

Every time you wear your shirt, post on social media, invite your friends to join you, or reach out to your contacts to raise money, you’ll also have an opportunity to let folks know about these live-saving services. You never know who might need the services like our Healthy Food Pantry, Free Mobile Farmers Market, Interfaith Clothes Closet, or Homebound Delivery Service. Additionally, you’ll help potential donors learn about this vital need, and your show of support will encourage confidence and empathy! Check out our website at www.foodinitiative.org to learn more so that you can share more. 

Weekly Challenges

Each week of the event, we will issue challenges to help us build community even in a virtual setting. You’re encouraged to share your progress and the challenges you tackle on social media, tagging us in your posts, and using our hashtags, and any others you desire (see next section for hashtags and social links.) See our “Challenges” section for more information!

Hashtags and Social Media

One of the best ways to raise money and awareness, to build community, and to give ourselves a little accountability and encouragement for daily movement is to post regularly to social media, like Facebook, Instagram, Tik tok, Twitter, etc. Whenever you post, it’s an opportunity to share your fundraising link! It’s also a best practice to tag The Food Initiative on our social media, and to use event hashtags to help us find your posts, and so that others can find similar posts. You can also use popular relevant hashtags to gain viewers. 

You'll also have the option to join a private Facebook group for race participants to share encouragement, accountability, challenges, event info, memes, selfies--you get the idea. You will see a button to join after you complete your registration, but if you missed it, click here to join: https://runsignup.com/Race/CA/Modesto/TheFoodInitiativeVirtualMarathon

Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thefoodinitiativeofgs

And on Instagram at @the_food_initiative or www.instagram.com/the_food_initiative 

Event hashtags: 

#FIGSVirtualMarathon  #thefoodinitiative  #morethanarace  #itsamovement

Fun/popular hashtags:

#willrunforfood #instarun #running 

#runnersofinstagram #runninginspiration

#virtualmarathon #virtualhalfmarathon

#itsamovementmovement #willwalkforfood

Milestones and Badges

For each of the milestones listed below, you’ll receive a digital “badge” that you can download and share on social media. Using a free app like Canva, you can apply the badge to a social media post, overlay it on a selfie or another meaningful image, or just share the badge itself to help raise awareness and inspire others! (And maybe toot your own horn a little. You deserve it.)

FIGS Virtual Marathon Milestones:

First Mile: Getting started can be the hardest part, but you’ll get an accomplishment you can be proud of after that first mile!

5K:  Once you’ve traveled the equivalent distance to a 5K (five kilometers, or about 3.1 miles, you’ll receive the 5K badge. 

10K: You’ll get another badge when you travel 10 kilometers, or about 6.2 miles. 

Halfway there: 13.1 miles, or a half-marathon, is the halfway point!

Marathon completed! You did it! This badge will represent the sweet, sweet success of a job well done.

FIGS Virtual Distance Challenge:

5K:  Once you’ve traveled the equivalent distance to a 5K (five kilometers, or about 3.1 miles, you’ll receive the 5K badge. 

10K: You’ll get another badge when you travel 10 kilometers, or about 6.2 miles. 

Halfway there: 13.1 miles, or a half-marathon, is the halfway point!

Marathon completed! You did it! This badge will represent the sweet, sweet success of a job well done.

100 miles: There’s an overachiever in every bunch, so we can’t let a triple-digit milestone go unacknowledged.

Teams

You are welcome to fundraise either as an individual or a team. This is a great opportunity to fundraise as a family, as a part of your gym, church, sorority or fraternity, service club, friend group, or to set up a friendly competition between work departments to see who can raise the most money!  

Shirts

An event t-shirt is included with your registration. You’ll have a choice of black or green, and a variety of sizes. In order to receive your shirt at the kick-off event, or before the challenge starts, you must register by October 14th. Registration after that date will still include a t-shirt, but it will take approximately two weeks to be received. Shipping may add an additional cost if you are unable to pick it up.

Medals

Custom finisher medals will be awarded to individuals who complete the distance goal AND raise a minimum of $100 through peer-to-peer fundraising. For fundraising teams, you must raise the equivalent of $100 per person in order to each receive a medal. For example, a team of 5 would need to raise $500. Medals will be awarded in person on November 30, at a location TBD, in Modesto, CA. If you are unable to attend, medals can be picked up at The Food Initiative, or shipped for a fee. 

Shop

At the time of registration, after you select your shirt color and size, you’ll also have the opportunity to “add on” additional items like hoodies, water bottle stickers, etc. Items may take up to three weeks to be received. You can also visit our store on Bonfire for additional, custom designed branded merchandise. (link to come)

Optional In-person Events

On Saturday, October 30, we will meet at 3:00 at the Virginia Corridor Walking trail in Modesto, CA (address) and walk together to Roseburg Square to receive t-shirts and add-ons purchased by October 14. If you prefer not to walk, you can meet us at about 3:30 at a location TBD in Roseburg Square.

On Tuesday, November 30, we will close out our month-long event by repeating that walk, and meeting at the Yogurt Mill in Roseburg Square, where a portion of the proceeds of any purchase will also be donated to The Food Initiative, you’ll receive your finisher certificates for completing all 26.2 miles, medals if you’ve completed the challenge and raised a minimum of $100, as well as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place medals for the Distance Challenge. 

More information on both events will be shared closer to the dates. 

Questions

Runsignup.com has a robust help section, and should be able to answer most of your technical questions. 

Thank you all for participating in our very first Virtual Marathon!  

We are so excited to get moving and to get fundraising with you all and hope that you find this packet useful and helpful in learning how to navigate peer-to-peer fundraising. The team here at The Food Initiative believes in you and your ability to create change for the Stanislaus community! If at any time you have any questions, concerns, or great ideas you’d like to share, please feel free to reach out to either Elizabeth (email: elizabeth@thefoodinitative or text: (209)-480-9414), or Hannah (email: hannah@thefoodinitative or text: (209)-204-3336). Thanks again and we’ll see you at the finish line!

The Team at The Food Initiative