Boston Marathon Fundraising Raises $34.2 Million in 2017 Race

BOSTON, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston Marathon participants who ran on behalf of more than 200 non-profit organizations raised $34.2 million for charity in the 121^st year of the historic race. The fundraising total represents a twelve percent increase, or $3.6 million, over 2016's results.  

Total funds include $17.96 million raised through the Boston Athletic Association's Official Charity Program, $12.3 million raised through John Hancock's Non-Profit Program, and $3.97 million from other qualified and invitational runners.

Most of the fundraising runners gained entry through the B.A.A. and John Hancock programs, which provide non-profits with guaranteed entries ("bibs") that enable runners to fundraise for their organizations. 

"As we reflect on this year's race and the enormous fundraising it generated, we're again reminded of the power of our community," said B.A.A. CEO Tom Grilk. "While the race means so much to those who compete within it, it means just as much for the communities which surround it. We're honored to be associated with such profound goodwill."

"For the ninth consecutive year, we set a new fundraising record in the John Hancock program, and we celebrate our non-profit runners for their commitment and generosity," said Michael Doughty, interim President and Chief Executive Officer of John Hancock. "We are proud to continue to leverage our 32-year principal sponsorship of the Boston Marathon to provide meaningful support to our community partners."

"We are extremely grateful to have been in John Hancock's program for the past four years, and the Boston Marathon has quickly become one of our top fundraising initiatives," said Dan Cummings, Executive Director of Journey Forward. "We raised $126,350 in 2017, which will help us purchase the appropriate high-tech equipment necessary to give our clients the best opportunity to improve."

John Hancock again partnered with CrowdRise to offer a centralized online platform to capture Boston Marathon fundraising. The site (www.crowdrise.com/2017bostonmarathon) showcases all the 2017 partner non-profit organizations and features the personal stories of the runners who supported them.

Over the past 32 years, the official B.A.A. Charity Program and John Hancock's Non-Profit Program have combined to raise more than $297 million for community-based organizations. More information on the programs can be found on http://www.baa.org/utilities/charities  and  https://www.johnhancock.com/citizenship/boston-marathon.html.

About the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.)
Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit organization with a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running. The B.A.A.'s Boston Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon, and the organization manages other local events and supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round running programs, including high performance athletes and running club. Since 1986, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been John Hancock Financial. The Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, along with the international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City. The 122th Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, April 16, 2018. For more information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org.

About John Hancock and Manulife
John Hancock is a division of Manulife, a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. Operating as Manulife in Canada and Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, our group of companies offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Assets under management and administration by Manulife and its subsidiaries were $1 trillion (US $754 billion) as at March 31, 2017. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '945' on the SEHK. Manulife can be found on the Internet at manulife.com.

The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers and administers a broad range of financial products, including life insurance, annuities, investments,  401(k) plans, long-term care insurance, college savings, and other forms of business insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com.

SOURCE John Hancock