Sorridi Therapeutics' Jennifer Pontikes Honored by Parkinson's Foundation for Fundraising Leadership

The award recognizes Pontikes' commitment to the Parkinson's community and her work inspiring movement through the Million Meter Challenge

NORTHBROOK, Ill., Oct. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sorridi Therapeutics, the science company behind NeuroFiber, announced that staff member Jennifer (Jen) Pontikes was honored with the Parkinson's Foundation 2026 Top Fundraisers Award. Pontikes, along with her husband, Rocky Pontikes, and fellow Parkinson's Champion Jordan Levin, received the award during the Parkinson's Foundation Volunteer Leadership Summit, held September 24–26 in Dallas.

The three joined forces to create a virtual community-wide challenge, The Million Meter Challenge, designed to inspire people to get active while raising awareness and funds for the Parkinson's Foundation. The Challenge started with rowing but quickly expanded to include power walking, running and biking. As part of the Challenge, the group hosted the Million Meter Mixer, an in-person event sponsored by NeuroFiber. What began as a competition evolved into something far more meaningful – it was the start of a community. The trio realized the real value wasn't the competition, but rather the shared effort bringing them together. The Million Meter Challenge brought together more than 300 participants and raised more than $185,000 for the Parkinson's Foundation.

"Our biggest takeaway was the power of community and the reminder that we are all in this together," said Jen Pontikes. "We were incredibly proud to watch all of our Million Meter Challenge participants accomplish things they never thought possible and see the challenge grow far beyond anything we originally imagined. Through my work with the Parkinson's community, I've learned that while this disease changes lives, shared purpose changes them more."

For Jen Pontikes, the work she does with the Foundation is deeply personal. Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2023, she became a Parkinson's Champion to raise money for clinical research and support the fight against the disease.

Along with her volunteer work, Jen is part of the team at Sorridi Therapeutics committed to understanding the impact the gut microbiome has on neurological function and the challenges faced by those living with Parkinson's disease among other neurological diseases.

"Sorridi is proud of the work Jen does to support the Parkinson's community and the impact she's made on so many individuals fighting the same battle she is," said Beth Statkus, Co-founder and CEO of Sorridi Therapeutics. "Her daily presence and energy are an inspiration for our team."

The Million Meter Challenge returns April 1–30, 2027! Everyone is welcome to participate in the virtual challenge. To learn more about the Parkinson's Foundation, contact Jen at [email protected].

About Sorridi Therapeutics

Sorridi Therapeutics is a science-based company that believes in empowering people to address the root causes of disease rather than treating the symptoms. The company's mission is to slow the progression of neurodegeneration disease and improve quality of life – starting in the gut. Sorridi is the science company behind NeuroFiber^®, a nutrition bar with a specialized formula designed to support digestion, microbiome diversity, and overall gut-brain health. Learn more at www.sorriditherapeutics.com.

Media Contact:
Kristin Livermore
7735800395
[email protected] 

SOURCE Sorridi Therapeutics