Ways to help · pick one
Five paths.
Pick yours.
Donate, register, start a team, fundraise, or volunteer. They all count the same. Pick what fits your hands this year.
Ninety-two cents of every dollar funds three grantee programs — NAMI Minnesota’s peer-support cohorts, on-site counselor positions at three Hennepin County school districts, and the 988 Lifeline’s volunteer-training pipeline. Tiers start at $50, monthly giving is available at every level, and all donations are tax-deductible.
02 · Start a team · fundraise together
Three steps.
Most teams hit them in a weekend.
Average team size is seven. The smallest team we’ve had was two cousins; the biggest was a hospital nursing unit at thirty-eight.
01
Create
Name & captain
Pick a team name. Pick a captain. Upload a photo or leave it blank — most teams skip the photo. Done in about three minutes.
02
Recruit
Share the link
Five people is plenty. Twelve is heroic. Forward the team-page link to your group chat — we provide three email templates if you want them.
03
Fundraise
Watch the thermometer
Each team page has a fundraising thermometer. We cover the platform fee — what your team raises is what we receive.
Five tiers from Community ($1k) to Presenting ($25k+) — logo placement on three thousand finisher t-shirts, finish-line recognition, comp registrations for your team. The mid-tiers (Silver $2.5k · Gold $5k · Platinum $10k) fit most neighborhood and regional businesses.
04 · Volunteer · race-day roles
Four jobs.
Three hours each.
All shifts include a volunteer t-shirt, breakfast at the finish, and the post-walk gathering at the bandshell. Most volunteers also walk the route afterward.
01
6 AM
Bib desk
Registration table at Boom Island. Check walkers in, hand out bibs and shirts. 3-hour shift, ends at the start gun.
02
8 AM
Route marshal
Stand at a corner on the route. Point, smile, count walkers as they pass. We give you the corner that suits your standing tolerance.
03
8 AM
Water station
Half-mile or one-mile stop. Refill cups, hand them to walkers, manage the recycling bin. Roughly the most thankful gig of the day.
04
8 AM
Cheer squad
Bring a sign. Bring your voice. Pick a spot on the route and stay there. The mile-two stretch is the quietest — that’s where we need you.