Deena Kastor
"Greg has inspired me as a professional athlete. What started with helping him and Give Running rewarded me with an enormous sense of pride for also making a difference."
Olympic bronze medalist and American record holder Deena Kastor has done as much for the international running community
off the track as she has
on it. Indeed, Deena is known for always making time to answer questions, sign autographs, and provide encouragement for aspiring runners.
Since March 2007, Deena and her husband Andrew have also blessed Give Running with their kindness and enthusiasm.
Deena and Andrew are two of Give Running's greatest advocates, collecting shoes from many members of the generous Mammoth Springs running community. Deena, Andrew, and their friends in Mammoth Springs have donated several hundred pairs of shoes in like-new condition to Give Running.
From her initial support for Give Running over two years ago to her active role in Give Running today, Deena truly has -- and continues to -- make a tremendous impact. We cannot thank Deena enough for her genuine kindness and generous spirit.
To learn more about Deena, and the many people she helps and inspires, please visit
DeenaKastor.com.
Mike and Bob Bryan
"If you don't make an effort to help those less fortunate than you are, then you're wasting your life."
The Bryan Bros. are the No. 1 doubles team on the ATP World Tour. They have won an all-time men's doubles team record sixty-four career titles, including eight Grand Slams. The Bros. also earned the Bronze Medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
But Mike and Bob are even greater champions off the court. When they learned that ten-year-old Shigeki Sumitani was battling cancer, the No. 1-ranked doubles team sent their No. 1 fan signed tennis balls and hats, rackets and shirts, shoes and CDs and emails -- and love.
The Bryan Bros. similarly sent signed posters, pictures, rackets, and their DVD to Siki, who, like her friend Shigeki, was confined to a hospital before passing away at far too young of an age.
Mike and Bob honor Shigeki and Siki's memories by dedicating matches to them on the court, and by continuing to give and give and give off the court.
In 2008, for instance, the two created "The Bryan Brothers Foundation," continuing their long tradition of helping others. The kick-off event for their charity, "The Bryan Brothers' All-Star Tennis Smash," raised over $100,000.
Indeed, Mike and Bob prove that serving others is more powerful and lasting than any tennis serve or tournament win. Give Running thanks the Bryan Bros. for being such generous contributors and such positive role models.
Please support the Mike and Bob like they have supported Give Running and visit
their official website.
Wayne Bryan
"Keep up the great work, Greg and Give Running!"
Wayne Bryan, father of Mike and Bob Bryan, is a highly accomplished motivational speaker, coach, athlete, author, and musician. Wayne's love for tennis, love for music, love for helping others, and overarching love of life are manifest in his characteristic enthusiasm and mega positive attitude.
A dynamic speaker and coach, Wayne hosts tennis clinics and emcees various events. He also coaches the Sacramento Capitals in World Team Tennis, and was named the WTT Coach of the Year three years in a row from 2004 to 2006.
Wayne is also an author of
Raising Your Child to Be a Champion in Athletics, Arts, and Academics, which is available on
amazon.com and
barnesandnoble.com.
We cannot adequately thank Wayne or his wife, Kathy, for their constant support since Give Running's conception, as well as for their tireless efforts to inspire, educate, and help others.
Sports Gift
"Giving Kids Sports, Globally."
Sports Gift is a non-profit organization that collects, refurbishes, and then distributes new and gently used sports equipment to underprivileged children throughout the world.
While Sports Gift partners with many clubs and organizations, it specifically aims work closely with schools and youth leagues to offer community service programs to America’s youth and promote the joy found in helping others.
Since it was founded in 2002, Sports Gift has distributed thousands of sports equipment items to underprivileged youth in the United States, Mexico, Central America, Africa, Indonesia, and the Middle East.
We encourage you to learn more about Sports Gift and the many communities it benefits:
www.SportsGift.org.
Roozt.com
"Get Change From Your Dollar."
Roozt.com
is a deal-of-the-day shopping experience exclusively for socially
responsible shoppers. Roozt features one product daily for up to 80%
off retail prices and donate 1% of every purchase to the non-profit
of your choice -- including Give Running!
All
of Roozt.com's featured products are from inspiring socially
responsible companies that have been thoroughly vetted by Roozt's
experienced research team and certified to be doing great things for
Humanity, their Communities, their Employees, and/or the
Environment.
We
were also proud to have a special promotion deal with Roozt from
Friday, 1/14/11 through Sunday 1/16/11 in which people could purchase
a $100 value Oliberté Footwear gift card for just $45 on Roozt.com
and automatically donate 1% to Give Running. Oliberté is a
fair-trade and worker-friendly company that makes premium 100%
natural leather shoes in Ethiopia which combine the heritage of
African artisans with forward-thinking design and technique. The deal
sold out with hours still left on the clock!
By shopping on Roozt, you make a statement that
you support socially responsible companies with your dollars and
decisions. We encourage you to be a socially conscious consumer, join the Roozt community, and support Give Running through your awesome purchases!
TisBest Philanthropy
"Give a better world."
Give Running is proud to partner with TisBest, the leader
in charity gift cards, to provide a unique opportunity to make a
difference through adding a new dimension to gift-giving!
If you go through our dedicated link, http://tiny.cc/giverunning,
TisBest
will donate an extra $2 to Give Running for each gift card purchased.
Moreover, this referral link will let your gift card recipients know
that you recommend Give Running's mission and work.
Even if the recipients select a pet-focused charity or an
environmental group, Give Running still benefits from your thoughtful
gift! (If
you forget to go through our dedicated link, you can enter our Partner
Code, "running," before check-out to still support us.)
What
could be better? Help your friends and loved ones experience the joy of
giving while helping us better serve disadvantaged youth around the
world! One card, one shoe, and one life at a time, let's give the gift of giving; and Give opportunity. Give joy. Give Running.
Triptrotting
"Not just another clueless tourist."
Imagine having a friend in every city around the world. Triptrotting makes it possible with their online community of world travelers and local hosts who are matched based on compatibility. Travel to new destinations and get an out-of-the-box experience by meeting locals or expand your network globally by hosting world travelers.
Give Running is excited to be one of Triptrotting's select charities! When Triptrotting travelers pay their hosts, each host can choose to keep the money for hosting or donate it effortlessly to one of Triptrotting's supported charities, such as Give Running.
What is more, we provide potential donors with different Give Running initiatives so that they can choose precisely which of our projects they want to support. Please visit
triptrotting.com today to learn more about your options for traveling the world, meeting new people, and helping Give Running!
DeFeet International
"Made for Driven Soles."
DeFeet was founded in 1992 as a company dedicated to craftsmanship. More specifically, DeFeet strives to create the best performing and longest lasting athletic socks.
Today, DeFeet has a state-of-the-art factory in the foothills of North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains, where it proudly produces socks and athletic accessories for everyone, from world-class cyclists to recreational runners.
In addition to being good for your feet, DeFeet socks are also good for the earth. Indeed, DeFeet is known for its sustainable products and for promoting environmentally sound practices through the DeFeet "Decrease your footprint" initiative.
DeFeet has partnered with Give Running in designing and producing socks; what is more, DeFeet has generously donated socks to us so that we can give out a pair of socks with each pair of shoes we donate.
We look forward to continuing our partnership with DeFeet and working to further share with those "driven soles" and souls in need worldwide.
To learn more about DeFeet's environmentally friendly and high quality products, please visit
www.DeFeet.com.
Los Angeles Community Impact
"Growth Through Service."
Los Angeles Community Impact (LACI) is a University of Southern California
student organization that strengthens non-profits and small businesses
in the Los Angeles area by addressing their business-related challenges.
Grounded on a powerful service-learning concept, LACI both improves the
Los Angeles community through consulting and fosters the personal and
professional growth of the next generation of business leaders.
LACI is helping Give Running better fulfill our mission by improving our internal structure and communications to more clearly express who we are; more efficiently grow the Give Running family; and more fully measure our impact and sustainability.
Please go to
usclaci.org to learn more about Los Angeles Community Impact and the diverse range of problems and projects it members are transforming into success stories.
Enphorma
"Ocio, salud y deporte."
Enphorma is a Spanish company that specializes in promoting Sports events, mainly triathlons. Enphorma commits itself to an annual athletic shoe collection campaign to benefit Give Running.
To learn more about Enphorma, their philosophy about sport, and their support for Give Running, please visit
enphorma.com.