Change Maker Challenge Campaign

"Every Mile, A Message" is the Joanne Forbes Foundation’s first-ever virtual wellness challenge and fundraising race — a campaign built to uplift our message of healing through connection, movement, and visibility. Participants walk, run, bike, or move in ways that reflect their personal wellness journeys while raising awareness and support for community mental health, recovery, and equity programs. Whether done solo or as part of a team, every step supports someone’s path out of isolation and toward dignity, care, and community.

The campaign goal is to raise $50,000+ to expand access to peer support, recovery tools, and wellness programming for underserved communities. Engage 250+ participants across the country in movement-based healing. Build visibility for the loneliness epidemic and its link to mental health disparities. Inspire storytelling through shared experiences around the impact of recovery, connection, and community wellness. Strengthen donor and corporate partnerships by inviting active sponsorship and branded team participation.

The Joanne Forbes Foundation was built to bridge the gap between people and the resources they need to heal — especially those left out of traditional systems. At our core, we believe in community-first behavioral wellness and the truth that presence is power. This campaign is an extension of our philosophy: “That movement is medicine. That connection heals what silence hides.” And that, even a virtual step, when done together, brings us all closer "Every Mile, A Message" honors our community’s resilience, our supporters’ belief in equity, and our volunteers’ commitment to being the hand that reaches back. It's not just a fundraiser — it's a movement.

The Joanne Forbes Foundation is a purpose-driven nonprofit rooted in the values of equity, dignity, and healing through human connection. At the Joanne Forbes Foundation, we are dedicated to fostering community resilience, equity, and empowerment through innovative fundraising and transformative programming. Rooted in advocacy, education, and targeted support, our mission is to break down barriers—eliminating stigma, expanding access to care, and addressing resource inequities that disproportionately impact underserved communities. Through strategic initiatives, sustainable funding models, and unwavering commitment, we bridge critical gaps, create opportunities, and empower individuals to thrive in inclusive, healthier communities. By investing in people and possibilities, we are shaping a future where everyone has the support, resources, and pathways to flourish, recover, and lead fulfilling lives.

We chose to partner with Charity Footprints because their platform aligns seamlessly with our mission to promote healing through connection, movement, and community-driven impact. As a foundation deeply rooted in behavioral health, recovery, and equity, we understand that wellness must be accessible — physically, emotionally, and socially. Charity Footprints allows us to host a virtual event that breaks down barriers, encourages participation from all walks of life, and transforms everyday movement into meaningful purpose.

Through this virtual race, we aim to accomplish three key goals. Raise critical funds to support our programming that combats loneliness, strengthens mental health access, and builds peer-driven recovery spaces. Build community and awareness by inviting people to move together in solidarity, even if they’re apart — reinforcing the idea that healing isn’t linear, but it is communal. Empower our supporters to be champions of the cause — using the platform’s peer-to-peer functionality to spread the word, deepen engagement, and invite others into this movement of wellness and connection. This partnership is not just about fundraising — it’s about activating hope, building visibility for marginalized voices, and making health and healing something we do together.

Join the Change Maker Challenge hosted by the Joanne Forbes Foundation. Throughout June, participants are encouraged to walk, run, bike, stretch, or move in ways that reflect their personal wellness journey. You can join as an individual or form a team to log miles and raise funds for mental health access and peer-driven support. Every step contributes to a larger mission—promoting behavioral health equity, reducing isolation, and strengthening community healing.