Rita Jeptoo isn’t the only one breaking records this year at the 2014 Boston Marathon. The Kenyan set a course record of 2:18:57, but the Boston Athletic Association is poised to make a more lasting impact through its charity program. The B.A.A.’s Official Charity Program for the Boston Marathon, comprised of 30 different philanthropic organizations, is expected to set its own personal record with at least $13 million raised.
As noted in the B.A.A.’s online media guide, “This year, 30 charities are expected to raise more than $13 million.” Last year’s mark was set at approximately $12.9 million, but meeting that shouldn’t be too difficult. Given the unparalleled show of support from an unfathomable amount of people, businesses and organizations, it’s likely they’ll not only beat those numbers, but obliterate them.
BostInno reached out to the B.A.A for information on how tallying the numbers is coming along, but nobody was immediately available for comment.
It’s important to consider, too, that those totals are only representative of the B.A.A.’s official charities. They don’t reflect the countless individuals who ran on behalf of a charity of their choosing. As shown on the B.A.A.’s “By the Numbers” webpage, the race saw 1,395 total charity runners.
According to Reuters, in 2013, charity teams were able to raise $21 million. This year Team MR8, formed in memory of eight-year-old Martin Richard, who was tragically killed in last year’s devastating Boston Marathon bombing, pulled in $800,000 in roughly four months.
The Miles for Miracles team benefiting the Boston Children’s Hospital, continues Reuters, had raised $1.8 million as of April 11.
The amount of money the Charity Program has been able to secure for good causes is tremendous, especially when we take a look and see how it’s evolved over time. Started in 1989, the Charity Program raised just $6,600 in its first year. By 1995, that number had already eclipsed the $1 million mark and has grown steadily and incrementally on a yearly basis, as have the number of organizations.
In 1989, there was just one organization comprising the Charity Program, the American Liver Foundation. Last year, there were 35. To date, the B.A.A. has contributed a total of $140,848,012 to various charities.
