2017 IRONMAN FLORIDA | SUN, SAND, AND ENDING CHILD HUNGER

The IRONMAN Foundation® will provide youth backpacks and a $3,000 grant sponsored Boardwalk Beach Resort Hotel & Convention Center to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bay County for Pan-Florida Challenge Power Packs to feed hungry children enrolled in their after school programs. In addition, The IRONMAN Foundation will distribute more than $48,000 in grant funding to nonprofit groups and initiatives in the greater Panama City Beach area in conjunction with the 2017 IRONMAN Florida triathlon taking place on Saturday, November 4.

Continuing the “We’ve Got Your Back(pack)” program launched in April of this year, volunteers at the IRONMAN Foundation booth inside the IRONMAN Village will prepare backpacks for local children in need. Backpacks provided by Travelway Group International will include school supplies and sunscreen provided by Walmart, water bottles from Gatorade, healthy snacks from Clif Bar and inspirational notes written by IRONMAN athletes. The backpacks will be presented to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bay County.

“We are excited about this new partnership and what it means for our club kids,” said Hank Hill, Chief Executive Office of Boys & Girls Club Bay County. “Many of our club kids come from either single parent homes, or homes where they receive free or reduced lunches in schools. This program will extend help over the weekend when the kids may really need it the most.”

Through the generosity of Boardwalk Beach Resort Hotel & Convention Center, Pan-Florida Challenge (PFC) will use their $3,000 grant to provide 600 PFC Power Packs to hungry children enrolled in the after school programs at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bay County. PFC Power Packs contain 13 kid-friendly, nutritious, shelf-stable meals that meet or exceed the USDA recommendations for calories, carbohydrates, and protein for kids. The PFC Power Packs will feed 150 children over the weekends for four weeks.

“Childhood hunger is an under appreciated tragedy in the United States today. One in four children go hungry in Bay County. Pan-Florida Challenge is delighted and humbled to be working with IRONMAN Foundation, Boardwalk Beach Resort, and the Boys & Girls Club of Bay County to help these kids in need,” said Jeri Goetz, Executive Director of the Pan-Florida Challenge.

“As a long-standing supporter of the Boys & Girls Club of Bay County, Boardwalk Beach Resort is honored to help feed children in our community,” said Mike Greer, Vice President of Royal American Hospitality. “We are thankful to The IRONMAN Foundation for recognizing the need for nutritious meals and snacks and their organization of this initiative.”

The IRONMAN Foundation Community Fund provides community and volunteerism grant opportunities to non-profit organizations where IRONMAN events are held. This year’s grant funding brings the total giveback to more than $650,000 in the Panama City Beach region. In 2017, The IRONMAN Foundation will distribute more than $1.5 million in grant funding to support the needs of IRONMAN race communities across North America.

“It’s an honor and privilege to support so many Panama City Beach community organizations and their incredible work,” said Sarah Hartmann, Community Relations Manager for The IRONMAN Foundation. “Together we are creating a lasting and tangible impact. We are especially grateful for the opportunity to partner with Boardwalk Beach Resort Hotel & Convention Center and Pan Florida Challenge to support the children served by Boys & Girls Clubs of Bay County. On behalf of all our IRONMAN athletes, we want the kids to know that we’ve got your back!”

For more information about the IRONMAN Foundation and our giveback to the IRONMAN Florida race community, click HERE.