5 Runners Take on the 121st Boston Marathon® to Raise Money for Many Hopes to Rescue and Educate Children in Kenya

BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#BAA–On April 17, 2017, nearly 30,000 runners will start the running of the
121^st Boston Marathon^®. The 26.2‐mile route
extends through Hopkinton, Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley,
Newton, Brookline and Boston. Five runners are preparing to run for Many
Hopes, including El Cerrito, California resident, Jason
Draut; Waterloo, Ontario, Canada resident, Brian
Hollas; Miami Beach, Florida resident, Dr.
Susan Leitner; Wittenberg, Wisconsin and Boston resident, Andy
Long and Roanoke, Texas resident, Philip
Ohm.

These five are running for Many Hopes through an entry provided by John
Hancock. Each year, John Hancock donates guaranteed entries to select
nonprofits, which use these entries to recruit individual runners to
raise money for their cause. Last year, John Hancock nonprofit runners
raised more than $11 million for over 140 different local organizations.
For over 30 years John Hancock has been the principal sponsor of the
Boston Marathon. The Company’s continued support of the Boston Athletic
Association, which has directed the race since 1897, ensures that the
race will continue to be a world‐class event and an important facet of
Boston’s culture and heritage.

“For the second year in a row, Many Hopes is honored to have been chosen
to participate in John Hancock’s Charity Partners program for the 2017
Boston Marathon,” stated Many Hopes founder Thomas
Keown. “Our team of five charity runners are raising over $58,000
which will go directly to support one whole year of happy, healthy
childhoods for 14 children in our homes for girls in coastal Kenya. We
are grateful that Andy, Brian, Jason, Philip and Susan are taking on the
challenge of this marathon. Their sacrifice and the donors who support
them will be remembered long after they cross the finish line.”

The Boston Marathon ranks behind only the Super Bowl as the largest
single day sporting event in the world. More than 1,100 media members,
representing more than 250 outlets, receive credentials annually.

Approximately 500,000 spectators line the 26.2‐mile course annually,
making the Marathon New England’s most widely viewed sporting event,
according to estimates by police and public safety officials from the
eight cities and towns along the route.

This is Jason’s fourth Boston Marathon in five years and Brian’s third
Boston Marathon in five years. This will be the first Boston Marathon
run for Andy, Philip and Susan.

For more on the Many Hopes runners and to donate, go to:
https://www.crowdrise.com/manyhopesboston2017

Follow the Boston Marathon on Twitter @bostonmarathon
and with #beboston.

About Many Hopes

Many Hopes is a long-term strategic solution to extreme poverty. We
rescue girls and boys from abusive situations and raise them with an
imagination for justice and the tools to act on it. We provide loving
homes, excellent education, and legal advocacy to raise networks of
influential adults equipped to defeat the poverty they were born into.
Our innovative “Justice Framework” is being piloted in Kenya before
replication. Each project is 100% self-sustaining in 10 years. For more
information, visit www.manyhopes.org
or follow on FaceBook
or Twitter @many_hopes.

All trademarks recognized.

Contacts

Media:
Tracy Wemett, +1-617-939-3631
tracy@manyhopes.org
or
Ashley
Wheeler, +1-617-572-0315
Ashley_Wheeler@jhancock.com