BOSTON– Battling torrential rain and fierce headwinds—the most challenging conditions in the race’s iconic history—the Credit Unions Kids at HeartTeam took to the streets of Boston on Patriots’ Day for the 122nd running of the Boston Marathon. Twenty-one runners and one wheelchair participant represented the Team in its efforts to raise funds for pediatric brain research at Boston Children’s Hospital.
With the generous support of family, friends, corporate sponsors, and the credit union community, the Team raised $460,000 this year on behalf of Boston Children’s Hospital, part of a multi-year effort to fund research for the prevention, treatment, and cure of pediatric brain tumors, Moyamoya disease, Sturge-Weber syndrome, and Cerebral Palsy.
Used by pediatric hospitals and other care centers around the world, this groundbreaking research promises to improve the lives of thousands of children and adults worldwide.
The oldest and most prestigious race of its kind, the Boston Marathon is a “qualifying-time” event with a limited number of runners’ bibs made available to charitable organizations. The Credit Unions Kids at Heart Team has run for Boston Children’s Hospital for 18 consecutive years. Each year, runners are paired with Boston Children’s Hospital patient partners, many of whom are challenged to overcome debilitating diseases, and their partnership inspires an ambitious training and fundraising regimen that is encouraged and supported by the credit union community. The Credit Unions Kids at Heart Team also consists of more than 60 participating credit unions and several of their business partners. Jane Melchionda, president and chief executive officer for Eastern Corporate FCU in Burlington, Mass., formed the Team to leverage the collective impact of credit union charitable efforts and as a reflection of the industry’s belief in collaboration in service of a greater good.
Since the Team was formed in 1996, it has donated more than $6 million to Boston Children’s Hospital toward special research projects, ensuring foremost that no portion of donations is withheld for administrative purposes.
“Despite harsh conditions on the Marathon course, our Team’s runners and racers pushed to the finish line—all twenty-two of them. Our runners are not driven by records or rewards,” said Melchionda . “They run because they believe in the resilience of children and believe in a future where every child is happy and healthy. Their champions’ hearts were only exceeded by their fundraising prowess, knowing full well that the scientists and physicians at Boston Children’s Hospital continue to push the boundaries of medicine to provide the best possible care for kids, and that they are making a lasting impact on the world.”
Participating Credit Unions
The 2018 participating credit unions included 600 Atlantic FCU, Acushnet FCU, Boston Firefighters CU, Bridgewater Cambridge Firefighters FCU, Cambridge Teachers FCU, Chelsea Employees FCU, City of Boston CU, Commonwealth Utilities Employees CU, Digital FCU, Direct FCU, EasCorp, Energy CU, Granite State CU, Hanscom FCU, Harvard University Employees CU, Holyoke CU, HTM CU, Jeanne D'Arc CU, Liberty Bay CU, Lynn Firemen's FCU, Lynn Municipal Employees CU, Marblehead Municipal FCU, Massachusetts Family CU, Members Plus CU, Merrimack Valley FCU, Methuen FCU, Middlesex-Essex Postal Employees FCU, Mills42 FCU, MIT FCU, Money One FCU, NASA FCU, New England Teamsters FCU, New Hampshire FCU, Northeastern University FCU, Pawtucket CU, PSECU, Plymouth County Teachers FCU, Quincy CU, Randolph-Brooks FCU, Reading Mass. Town Employees FCU, Revere Municipal Employees FCU, Rockland FCU, RTN FCU, Saco Valley CU, Santo Christo FCU, St. Anne's CU of Fall River, St. Dominic's FCU, St. Jean's CU, St. Vincent Hospital CU, Stewart's FCU, Tewksbury FCU, Tremont CU, USALLIANCE Financial, Webster First FCU, Wellesley Municipal Employees FCU, Western Connecticut FCU, and Woburn Municipal FCU.