The Foundation Gives Back in The Woodlands, Texas

The IRONMAN Foundation Community Fund will give more than$122,000 in grant funding to initiatives and groups in the greater Woodlands area as part of the Memorial Hermann IRONMAN^® Texas presented by Waste Management triathlon taking place on Saturday, May 16, 2015. The IRONMAN Foundation’s contribution will provide support to non-profit needs and initiatives within the local community, and brings the total giveback to more than $522,000 in the region. Including The IRONMAN Foundation donations as part of Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Texas, a total of over $1.5 million will be provided to support the needs of IRONMAN race communities in 2015.

COMMUNITY GRANTS

The IRONMAN Foundation will donate $50,000 to The Woodlands community to support local non-profit beneficiaries that will use the funds towards initiatives to better the area. One recipient of these funds is Meals on Wheels Montgomery County, a local organization that will use their $10,000 grant to increase homebound meal deliveries to seniors not currently being served.  Allison Hulett, Executive Director, said “Meals on Wheels Montgomery County currently serves 450 homebound seniors with a nutritious meal every day.  These are the elderly among us that otherwise could not procure a meal for themselves. With that said, we still have a waiting list of approximately 200 disabled seniors needing our services to continue to age in place in their homes, where they want to stay.  We are grateful that The IRONMAN Foundation will allow our organization to deliver 5,460 meals to needy seniors over the next 12 months!”

Other community grant recipients include Education for Tomorrow Alliance, Montgomery County Youth Services, Angel Reach and the Boy Scouts of America – George Strake District Chapter. All of the community grant recipients will be honored at the Athlete Welcome Banquet on Thursday, May 14, 2014 at 5:30 p.m. at the Marriott Hotel.

VOLUNTEER GRANTS

The IRONMAN Foundation will also provide $50,000 in grant donations to local non-profit groups that have a volunteerism component to their organizations.  “The mission of the IRONMAN Foundation is to leave IRONMAN’s legacy through philanthropy, voluntarism and grant making, and to support various non-profit organizations around the world.  We are thrilled to expand the Foundation’s reach and impact through volunteer grants in The Woodlands,” said Betsy Langan, Community Relations Manager for The IRONMAN Foundation.  Last year, volunteer grant fundingwas distributed among thirty seven community groups in the region.

FIREHOUSE SUBS PUBLIC SAFETY FOUNDATION FIRST RESPONDER GRANT

The IRONMAN Foundation, in partnership with the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation (FHSPSF), will also donate one grant of $17,777 to Cypress Creek Emergency Medical Services to show support of first responder groups. This donation will be used to procure a customized utility vehicle and bike team equipment hauling trailer.   Wren Nealy, Director of Special Operations explained: “This grant will allow Cypress Creek EMS to store and deploy the necessary equipment to a variety of events or disasters in a professional and safe manner.  This equipment will greatly enhance safety, and could potentially save lives.”

“Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation along with The IRONMAN Foundation are grateful for the opportunity to give back to those who loyally serve our communities,” said Robin Peters, Executive Director of FHSPSF. “In 2014 we saw the amazing IRONMAN athletes proving that ’Anything is Possible’.   We feel that the mantra also represents what can be done to support the men and women who have dedicated their lives to protecting others.”

THE IRONMAN FOUNDATION NEWTON RUNNING AMBASSADOR TRIATHLON TEAM

In yet another initiative, The IRONMAN Foundation Newton Running Ambassador Triathlon Team, in its third year of existence, will be giving back in The Woodlands, Texas. The goal of the team is to have athletes share the concept of “service through sport and commitment to community.”  The Foundation and Newton Running recruited athletes from across North America to represent the team and share the goodwill of giving back to race communities. Twenty members will be representing the team in Texas, and have identified Interfaith of the Woodlands as the beneficiary of a hands-on service project and the fundraising efforts of their team.

Interfaith is a nonprofit social service organization that meets the basic needs of children, adults, families and seniors, improving their overall well-being and promoting self-sufficiency and independent living. Tri team members have raised more than $22,000, to donate to the organization.  Additionally, the team will be volunteering in Interfaith’s community garden, called “Veggie Village”, which provides fresh produce for their food pantry, and for a food delivery service for homebound senior citizens.  Tri Team members will provide hands-on help, including harvesting veggies, mulching and assembling some shelving for the food storage unit.  To further enhance this service project, Newton Running has donated 36 pairs of running shoes and Foster Grant has donated 200 pairs of glasses to be distributed among Interfaith clients.

Dave Deschenes, Executive Director of The IRONMAN Foundation states “our partnership with Newton Running has allowed us to come into a community and showcase that IRONMAN is so much more than an amazing endurance event. It is about IRONMAN, our partners and athletes making a difference in our race communities through the sport of triathlon.”

TEAM IMF

TEAM IMF is The IRONMAN Foundation’s fundraising triathlon team. Team members have theopportunity to race in the IRONMAN event of their choice when they commit to raise $3,000 for The IRONMAN Foundation’s Community Fund. The fundraising dollars raised by team members fund grant opportunities for local non-profits within IRONMAN race communities.  Athletes participating in this program through Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Texas have raised nearly $60,000, while collectively all of the Foundation’s Team IMF athletes have raised nearly $350,000, for the Foundation’s Community Fund in 2015.

FEATURED CHARITY PARTNER

Save the Children is the Featured Charity Partner of the 2015 Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Texas presented by Waste Management. Save the Children will race with a team of 40 athletes. The Save the Children team is on track to raise more than $200,000 for international children’s relief work.