Boston 1-Step Marathon Launched To Fight COVID-19 Together

Social Media Event to Support Boston Medical Center COVID-19 Relief Fund

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Apr 09, 2020, 12:12 ET

BOSTON, April 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Boston ad agency, Small Army, a FINN Partners company, launched the "Boston 1-Step Marathon," a social media event to raise funds for Boston Medical Center's COVID-19 relief efforts. The agency launched the campaign in response to BMC's desperate need of donations and supplies to fight the COVID-19 outbreak.

With the Boston Marathon postponed this April for the first time in history, Small Army aims to engage the Boston community to take at least 55,374 steps (the estimated number of steps in a marathon) and raise money to support Boston Medical Center (BMC). To participate, individuals film themselves taking one step, post it on social media with a link to Boston1step.com and challenge at least three people to do the same. All participants and bystanders are encouraged to donate $1 or more at Boston1step.com.

"Many of us are working safely at home, while medical workers are putting their lives on the lines to keep us safe," says Jeff Freedman, CEO of Small Army. "With many small steps, we can make a big difference."

"BMC caregivers are honored to have been selected to benefit from this virtual marathon," added Norman Stein, SVP and Chief Development Officer at BMC. "We feel this is emblematic of the resiliency of health care providers everywhere and our colleagues as we strive to do everything we can to get our patients back home safe and sound, and help our community return to normalcy as soon as possible."

As New England's largest safety-net hospital, BMC is the provider of choice for low-income patients and other vulnerable groups — placing the hospital in a critical position during the COVID-19 outbreak. Research has shown poverty to be one of the strongest predictors of poor health, and its negative health effects are compounded by events like this. More than 50% of BMC's patients earn less than $24,000 per year, meaning a significant percentage of their patient population is already at risk.

All funds raised will directly support BMC's COVID-19 Emergency Medical Response and Social Services Fund, which supports staff and providers, ensures healthcare access for patients and the community, and proves BMC with the necessary equipment, supplies, and resources.

BMC is also seeking donations of new clothing items, iPads, games, books, magazines and Tracphones. Learn more about how you can help at boston1step.com.

About Small Army
Small Army (smallarmy.net), a FINN Partners company, is a 45+ person marketing and creative service agency in Boston that helps brands build relationships with people through storytelling. Their work focuses around a core belief that storytelling can strengthen relationships between brands and customers. Small Army works with a range of clients and industries to tell brand stories in an immediate, lasting, and impactful way. The agency is also the creators of the annual Be Bold, Be Bald! movement, which has raised more than $1.5 million in the fight against cancer.

About FINN Partners, Inc.  
Founded in 2011 on the core principles of innovation and collaborative partnership, FINN Partners has more than quadrupled in size in eight years, becoming one of the fastest growing independent public relations agencies in the world. The full-service marketing and communications company's record setting pace is a result of organic growth and integrating new companies and new people into the FINN world through a common philosophy. With almost 800 professionals, FINN provides clients with global access and capabilities in the U.S., Europe and Asia. In addition, FINN provides its clients with access to top tier agencies around the world through its membership in the global network PROI. Headquartered in New York, FINN's other offices are located in Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Hong Kong, Fort Lauderdale, Frankfurt, Jerusalem, London, Los Angeles, Munich, Nashville, Paris, Portland,  San Francisco, Seattle, Shanghai, Singapore and Washington D.C. Find us at finnpartners.com and follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @finnpartners.

Contact:
Melanie Cabral
[email protected]
Phone: 203-417-9468

SOURCE FINN Partners