Anytime Fitness Steps Up to Help Communities Make Healthy Happen in 2021

Fitness franchise is partnering with the HeartFirst™ Charitable Foundation to benefit the Movemeant Foundation and Fast and Female, empowering healthier women and girls in the United States and Canada, while announcing free virtual fitness event, expanded digital offerings

WOODBURY, Minn., Dec. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Anytime Fitness, the world's largest and fastest-growing health club franchise with a supportive, personalized approach to fitness and wellness, is making the journey to better physical and mental health more safe, accessible and social at a time when it's never been more important.

As 2021 approaches, the importance and urgency of physical and mental health are at an all-time high due to COVID-19. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "Regular physical activity helps you feel better, sleep better, and reduces anxiety. It can also help with preventing weight gain and when combined with calorie reduction, helps with weight loss. It can also help boost immune function and help prevent diseases that also increase a person's chances of having severe illness from COVID-19 such as heart disease and Type 2 diabetes." The CDC also advises exercising regularly for improved mental health.

To support the communities it continues to serve during the pandemic, Anytime Fitness is announcing new virtual programming and resources that will inspire and help new and current members to make healthy happen in 2021, including:

Investing in the Mission of Movemeant Foundation
The HeartFirst Charitable Foundation has awarded an initial $300,000 grant to the Movemeant Foundation, a nonprofit organization that designs fitness and movement programs to enable women and girls to embody confidence and develop healthy habits. By leveraging fitness and physical movement as platforms for social change, Movemeant Foundation has served as a catalyst to create a new generation of healthy, strong and self-assured young women. Movemeant Foundation will share $25,000 in grant funds to Fast and Female, a Canada-based charity with a mission to keep girls healthy and active in sports.

In addition to the initial $300,000 grant the HeartFirst Charitable Foundation will grant $1 for each 30-minute workout logged in the "Move With AF Event" on the Kilter mobile app during December (up to $50,000). Anytime Fitness will drive engagement with the "Move With AF Event" to increase donations through its clubs and marketing efforts. In January, when new members sign up to join Anytime Fitness for $1 at participating locations, Anytime Fitness also will donate $1 (up to $90,000) to the Movemeant Foundation in addition to an initial $50,000 grant.

"At Anytime Fitness, we know that fitness is essential to living a healthy life—physically, emotionally and mentally," said Stacy Anderson, brand president, Anytime Fitness. "We're proud to support Movemeant Foundation, an organization that believes, as we do, that fitness and physical movement is essential to unlocking the values of self-confidence, resiliency, commitment, balance, and community."

Building Healthier Minds & Bodies Through the "Stronger for Good" Virtual Event
Anytime Fitness is partnering with Movemeant Foundation; its founder, fitness expert and confidence-life coach Jenny Gaither; and a half-dozen other leaders in health and wellness for the "Stronger for Good" virtual fitness event. The event will offer an opportunity to move, learn and feel better together while combatting mental health issues caused by loneliness and social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The "Stronger for Good" event will take place at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT, Saturday, January 2. Participation in the event is free, and open to Anytime Fitness members and non-members alike. More information can be found at www.anytimefitness.com/strongerforgood.

Making Healthy Happen Through Anytime Fitness Digital Resources
Anytime Fitness is committed to the health and wellbeing of its members, owners and communities. With many locations across the country being temporarily closed due to COVID-19 restrictions many people feeling uncomfortable returning to the gym, Anytime Fitness is providing virtual options for members to stay or become healthy while enjoying friendly social interactions.

The Anytime Fitness mobile app gives members access to thousands of online training programs. The app also offers several ways to virtually connect with a local Anytime Fitness coach who can help develop individualized workout plans to help start the new year off strong. Additionally, daily free workouts led by Anytime Fitness coaches are available on Facebook at 9:30 a.m. ET.

For more information or to locate a nearby Anytime Fitness gym, visit www.anytimefitness.com. Also, follow Anytime Fitness on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

About Anytime Fitness
Anytime Fitness is the fastest-growing gym franchise in the world, serving 4,000,000 members at nearly 5,000 gyms and is the only franchise of any kind to have locations on all seven continents. Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, Anytime Fitness prides itself on providing its members with convenient fitness options and friendly, personal service in well-maintained facilities that feature top-quality exercise equipment. Anytime Fitness gyms and coaching services are available in nearly 40 countries. All franchised gyms are individually owned and operated and features the "Anywhere Access" policy which allows members access to any Anytime Fitness gym worldwide. For more information on franchise opportunities, visit https://www.anytimefitness.com/franchise/.

About Self Esteem Brands
Our purpose is to improve the self-esteem of the world. Self Esteem Brands (SEB) is the parent company of Anytime Fitness (the world's largest fitness franchise), Basecamp^® Fitness, The Bar Method^® and Waxing the City^®. Combined, most of our more than 4,700 franchise locations are locally operated across 30 countries worldwide by independent, small business owners. SEB is also the parent company to affiliates Provision Security Solutions and Healthy Contributions. Leading with a high-performance culture anchored in the values of people, purpose, profits and play SEB seeks to enrich the lives of all who interact with our brands and businesses. Our vision is a world of self-esteem, for every human to rise from their challenges. For more information on Self Esteem Brands and its various franchise opportunities, please visit https://www.sebrands.com/.

About HeartFirst Charitable Foundation
HeartFirst Charitable Foundation is the official charitable giving program of Anytime Fitness and Self Esteem Brands. Its mission is to advance, support, promote, and administer charitable activities, causes and projects of every kind and nature on the foundation's behalf or in partnership with other 501(c)(3) organizations. First established in 2007 and maintained, in part, through contributions from Anytime Fitness franchise owners, HeartFirst™ has aimed to support the health, wellbeing, and self-esteem of others. Past causes included Operation HeartFirst, a partnership with Tee It Up for the Troops to provide grants that enabled veterans to become small business owners by opening their own Anytime Fitness clubs. For more information, please visit https://www.anytimefitness.com/heartfirst-charitable-foundation/.

SOURCE Anytime Fitness

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