As we all do our best to avoid crowds, let’s make our walking count!
Southwest Human Development today launched a week of Walk With Me Goes Virtual — an effort to provide critical support for Arizona children with disabilities — in lieu of the nonprofit’s annual community Walk With Me fundraiser, which had to be cancelled to avoid the spread of coronavirus, or COVID-19.
“We had to cancel the ‘in person’ Walk With Me event, which we rely on to provide services for children with disabilities throughout the year,” wrote Jake Adams, SWHD chief development officer, and the father of a son who once benefited from speech therapy services the nonprofit provides. In his own Facebook post, he added, “This year, we are doing the event virtually and I hope you’ll pitch in $5 or $10. If you go to https://www.facebook.com/fund/SouthwestHumanDevelopment/, you can participate as well and win prizes from our sponsors.”
Here’s how it works:
From Monday, March 23, through Saturday, March 28, grab your walking shoes and walk 1.25 miles for kids with disabilities. You can walk on a home treadmill, around your neighborhood, circling your backyard pool or whatever way you choose.
Southwest Human Development staff suggest some helpful scripts:
- Generic: I was so excited to attend Walk With Me with hundreds of people coming together to support young children with disabilities, but you know how that turned out. Southwest Human Development moved the walk online, so now I am raising funds on here and walking around my neighborhood! Please help me raise money for these important services
- Light-hearted: I spent SO many hours on social media these last few days feeling helpless. Today that changes! I want to help other people because I can, so I am asking you to join me in raising funds for young children with disabilities. I’ll be posting and walking. You’ll be chipping in whatever you can to make a brighter future for these kids!
Connect with others by posting a picture on social media with the creative ways you are approaching your walk. Be sure to tag Southwest Human Development and use the hashtag #WalkGoesVirtual to watch what others are doing.
- Facebook: @southwesthumandevelopment
- Instagram: @swhdaz
- Twitter: @swhdaz
- LinkedIn: @southwesthumandevelopment
In week two of coronavirus-related closures, we’ve all been counseled to spend as much of our self-quarantine time outside, where we can easily maintain distance from others. This is a good way to turn those healthful strolls around the neighborhood to good use.
RELATED: Coronavirus updates and resources
