Fairfield County’s favorite family five-event race series, the Navigators Stamford KIC IT Race Weekend, returns on June 11 and 12 for another year of competition and fun, all to benefit Kids in Crisis. This year, MarcUS for Change has signed on as the Lead Sponsor of the Kids Triathlon, which opens the weekend’s festivities on Saturday and features three different race distances for children ages 6 to 13.
MarcUS for Change honors the life of Rose and Barry’s adopted son, Marcus Dixon McInerney, who passed away tragically in 2012 after overcoming many of the issues central to the mission of Kids in Crisis. As a victim of homelessness and heartbreaking challenges manifested in families experiencing crisis situations, Marcus was an angry, young teenager. With the love and the support of family and friends, though, he learned to trust others, to feel confident and to embrace his natural talent for leadership. His transformation was inspiring, and he went on to graduate high school and attend West Point Academy.
“After Marcus died, we knew we had to do something to help other kids like Marcus who deserved more. In this way, Kids in Crisis is a perfect partner for MarcUS for Change,” said Rose McInerney. “We offer our humble support for Kids in Crisis, hoping to elevate the need for awareness and financial support for crisis intervention programs that change lives. In the same way that Marcus marked our family for change, we hope to mobilize a community to stand behind KIC and help them to change lives for the better.”
MarcUS for Change strives to improve the academic, social, and mental well being of at-risk middle school and high school children, coordinating local and national opportunities for mentoring, academic support, extracurricular activities, and social development; targeting a broad range of cross-cultural and program initiatives for youth to help them overcome barriers to happiness and success. More information can be found at www.marcusforchange.org.
“This parternship between Kids in Crisis and MarcUS for Change is a very natural one, with both organizations working to help children overcome challenges and live safe, healthy, and fulfilling lives,” said Shari Shapiro, Executive Director of Kids in Crisis. “We cannot be more excited to have MarcUS for Change on as our Lead Sponsor for the Navigators Stamford KIC IT Kids Triathlon. Their sponsorship makes the race and its cause so much more meaningful and impactful, and together we can help children who need it most.”
Parents can register their children for the Navigators Stamford KIC IT Kids Triathlon at www.kicittriathlon.com.
The Navigators Stamford KIC IT Race Weekend features five races over a two-day span, including the Navigators Stamford KIC IT Kids Triathlon on Saturday, June 11, 2016, and the Navigators Stamford KIC IT Olympic and Sprint Triathlons, and 5k and 10k road races on Sunday, June 12. The Navigators Stamford KIC IT Race Weekend raises awareness and funds for Kids in Crisis, Connecticut’s only free, round-the-clock agency providing emergency shelter, crisis counseling and community educational programs for children of all ages and families dealing with a wide range of crises – domestic violence, mental health and family problems, substance abuse, economic difficulties and more. Since its founding in 1978, Kids in Crisis has helped more than 132,000 Connecticut children and families; last year, 6,184 children and families received assistance from the organization. For more information and to register, visit www.kicittriathlon.com.
This year, sponsorship and fundraising are more important than ever, as Kids in Crisis works to overcome a significant budget cut of $750,000 from the State of Connecticut. A wide range of corporate sponsorships are available; please contact Alon Marom, Development Director at Kids in Crisis, at 203-622-6556 for more information.