Chicago, IL - New Home Star hosted its second annual National GEM Run, a 5K initiative in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Beginning in September, GEM Run participants, which included employees, friends, and family, started a four-week training program and were given the opportunity to run for dollars, with each mile logged being matched by a three-dollar donation to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. On October 9 or 10, participants were encouraged to partake in a 5K race, and upon completion, a bonus donation was given to the foundation. With the team’s help, over 2,000 miles were run, and New Home Star raised $10,000, making this initiative a great success.
This initiative was created based on New Home Star’s Giving Every Moment (GEM) project, a company-wide volunteer and service program, which was implemented to carry out one of the organization’s core values of giving back in meaningful ways. “We are so happy to bring back the National GEM Run again this year,” says Assistant Marketing Manager, Erin Henderson. “This impactful initiative means a lot to us, and the difference our team is able to make when we come together is something truly special.”
Throughout the four-week challenge, team members logged their miles, cheered each other on, and posted updates on the organization’s sales enablement platform, New Home Connect™. “Being part of a company that puts its time and effort to create a national-scale initiative with a sole purpose of giving back is something unique about our organization,” says New Home Star VP of Organizational Development, Keith McKinney. “It’s wonderful to see the impact, especially for a cause such as breast cancer research that is close to many people’s hearts.”
To see photos from National GEM Run participants, view the Facebook album here.