HEAR FROM OUR PARTNERS
Watch and read the testimonials from organizations and their employees taking part in the STEPtember challenge.
How STEPtember met the moment
"If there’s one thing that COVID-19 taught me this year, it was to appreciate the gift of movement. Living in New York in the Spring and Summer of 2020 was intolerable for so many, with limited opportunity to get outside and socialize. Closed businesses and social distancing orders left many people feeling trapped and fearful in their cramped city apartments for months on end.
And while the global pandemic limited our movement temporarily, cerebral palsy is a condition that affects a person’s movement in a much more personal and permanent way. And that’s why this year’s STEPtember campaign arrived at such a crucial moment. Our employees were not only just emerging from quarantine and celebrating their ability to get back outside and move, but the world had a
lso become more aware of how we can positively impact the lives of others.
STEPtember helped focus our energy on spreading awareness for an amazing cause. And in return, stepping up for cerebral palsy helped our employees improve their own mental and physical health at a time when we needed it the most. This initiative allowed teams to feel a sense of togetherness while apart. Parents were able to share this activity with their children. It was truly a movement that everyone could be a part of from anywhere in the world. And to witness our employees log millions of steps after months of being in quarantine, it truly felt empowering to the work that we do."
Rita Papadogiannis
Corporate Social Resonsibility Manager - VIACOMCBS
Connecting Students and Faculty
Chapman University has continued to expand its STEPtember participation and during its second year, the number of people rose by 50% and fundraising increased from $6,700 to $22,100. Chapman's physical therapy students are especially motivated, with a deep, personal connection to helping people with cerebral palsy in every way they can.
Michelle Nuygen
Pysical Therapy Student - Chapman University
Retaining our Philanthropic Footprint
After several months of lockdown, the pandemic left our People Team wondering how we could not only retain our philanthropic footprint but also increase employee engagement during a time of uncertainty and social separation. For Demandbase, the STEPtember challenge gave our employees an opportunity to step up, connect and compete with one another, and support cerebral palsy, the most common motor disability in childhood. With any movement as the focus of the challenge, employees weren't restricted to just walking - many swam, biked, hiked, weight lifted, and cleaned to reach their personal goal - making the event inclusive to anyone who participated. Demandbase is proud of our employees for accumulating more than 10 million steps and far exceeding our fundraising goal, which made this philanthropic event our most successful yet! Thank you, Cerebral Palsy Research Alliance Foundation, for this four-week challenge and for encouraging us to step up!
Samantha McCullough
Office Manager & Head of 'People Team' - Demandbase
Connecting Co-Workers and Friends
"Partaking in STEPtember was a wonderful experience all around. Not only were we able to band together to support the incredible Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation (CPARF), but the monthlong event allowed us to get active and connect with our co-workers, families, and friends during an isolating period of Working From Home. Our friends at CPARF were an absolute pleasure to work with, giving us everything we needed and more to help promote the event within the company. The STEPtember site and app made the challenge so easy and fun. I’d imagine creating a virtual program to keep raising awareness and donations couldn’t have been easy, but CPARF did a phenomenal job. We can’t wait to partake next year whether we are all back in office or still in a virtual environment!”
Jessica Lewinson
Analyst - Blackrock
IN 2022, 160 ORGANIZATIONS PARTNERED WITH US TO RAISE $1.52 MILLION
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