Marathon :: Fundraising

T2 Marathon participants will be required to raise a minimum amount in donations (based on the event you have registered for) to help Legacy Community Health Services provide critical services, prevent new HIV infections and improve the lives of people affected by the epidemic in the Houston metropolitan area.

If you are intimidated by the amount of money you need to raise, don’t worry – you are not alone. And, we’ll show you how to do it. T2 staff members have helped thousands of participants reach, and even exceed, their fundraising goals.

Fundraising FAQs

How much money do I need to raise to be in the T2 program? The fundraising requirement for your participation in the TEAM TO END AIDS endurance training program is correlated to the T2 training program that you are registered for:

• Bank of America Chicago Marathon: $1,800
• Rocky Raccoon Trail Run: $1,000

What is the deadline to raise this amount of money? Each of our four programs has a fundraising deadline and this date is based on the date that each respective event requires registrations for our participants. Therefore, you must raise the above minimum by the following dates:

• Bank of America Chicago Marathon: July 16, 2012*
• Rocky Raccoon Trail Run: August 17, 2012*

*To obtain a guaranteed entry into the race you have chosen, you will be required to agree to raise the required minimum amount by the above deadline. You meeting your fundraising goal is one of our top priorities and we will work with you in every way possible to help you reach the fundraising minimum by the deadline.  However, there are times when participants aren’t able to raise the money required to guarantee race entry.  For those people we have a convenient procedure in place where we place the outstanding balance on a debit/credit card.  Then, they will be able to continue their fundraising until December 31, 2012 to raise that balance and their debit/credit card will be credited back for what they were able to raise, up to the amount they were charged.

You will receive an entry into the race you have chosen only when you have raised and/or been charged the minimum in fundraising for that respective event. Failure to do so will result in you not receiving an entry into that event.

How will I raise this much money? If raising money concerns you, you are not alone. It is often times the #1 concern of participants in the T2 program. And, we are here to support you -- our T2 staff is trained to support you in your fundraising efforts and each staff member and many of the coaches have raised thousands of dollars as participants in this program.

We offer the following tools to support you:

• Your own online fundraising page on the T2EA.com website – you are able to upload photos and customize your page with your own message to your donors.
• The T2 Facebook Application: we have designed and developed a comprehensive Facebook application for all T2 participants where you can send FB updates and posts to your “friends” and include the link to your online fundraising page.
• You will receive a fundraising manual with sample letters, events and tools to get you started and keep you going.
• There will be opportunities to get fundraising credit by having volunteers in the office and the training sites on the weekends.
• Finally, we offer the “REFER A FRIEND” program where you can receive $100 fundraising credit for each person who registers for T2 based on your recommendation (they must list you on their registration form at the time of registration in order for you to receive the credit).

Why do I need to raise money? T2 is a training program and fundraising program; each holds equal importance. In order to prepare you for your endurance event, we must raise the money required to pay for all the services you will receive to meet your fundraising and training goals. Once you register and begin your T2 journey, you’ll begin to see the many services and support features we offer as part of this program – all of which cost money to provide. It is also critically important to us that a high percentage of the money raised goes to Legacy Community Health Services to continue the valuable work that we do for people living with, and at risk for, HIV/AIDS.

Where will the money I raise go? 100% of the net proceeds raised through T2 will go to the vital work of Legacy Community Health Services Organization.

What happens if I don't raise the money? We will work with you in every way we can to raise the money required by the deadlines listed above. You meeting your fundraising goal is one of our top priorities! We have a convenient structure in place for you to place any balance that you still need to raise on a debit/credit card. Then, you will have until December 31, 2012 to raise this balance and your credit/debit card will be credited back for what you raise up to the amount that you were charged.

Why is the amount to be raised different for the three events? The amount to be raised for each event is directly correlated to the type/length of training program and any travel benefits provided to you by T2.

What travel benefits are provided for the event outside of the Houston Area? We will be providing hotel accommodations for the event taking place outside of the Houston area.

For the event, we will provide three nights of hotel accommodations in that city and near the event area. This is based on double-occupancy and you will be allowed to choose your roommate. Single rooms are available for those wishing to “buy-out” the double-occupancy requirement. More travel details will be available closer to the event.

NOTE: You are responsible for your own transportation to the event and any related costs to get you to the respective city for your event.