Athletico Employees Team Up to Give Back for 2022 PT Day of Service

During National Physical Therapy Month in October, Athletico celebrates our talented physical therapists for their dedication to helping people overcome challenges and live pain-free lives. This month also marks Global PT Day of Service on October 8, where physical therapists from around the world come together to make a positive impact on the communities they serve.

Athletico’s mission is rooted in a culture of making a difference in our communities. Our teams prioritize being active in their communities throughout the year by volunteering, organizing donation drives and fundraisers for local charities, providing injury prevention services, and so much more.

In recognition of PT Day of Service, more than 940 Athletico and Pivot Health Solutions employees participated in 64 service projects, volunteering over 450 hours to benefit the health and well-being of their communities throughout August and September 2022.

“Each October, we take time to bring awareness to physical therapy’s positive influence on people’s lives, but this month is also about giving back. It’s incredible to see the lasting impact we can have when we all work together toward one goal – building better communities. I’m very proud of our work all year to make a difference in the communities where we live and work.” – Chris Throckmorton, PT, President and CEO

Learn more about the impact our teams had below:

Volunteering in our communities:

Athletico’s staff gave their time and energy to their communities through various volunteer projects – from packing meals for local food shelters to cleaning up parks and preparing meals for families in need. During Hunger Action Month in September, several teams partnered with Feed My Starving Children to pack over 60,000 nutritious meals to be sent to children in countries where hunger and starvation are prevalent. Staff members also partnered with the Greater Chicago Food Depository and Our Lady of Fatima Food Pantry to prepare boxes of food and household items, as well as help members of the community shop for essentials.

Teams spent time outdoors to clean up their communities to help preserve land and wildlife at Gunpowder Valley Conservancy, iLiveHere Quad Cities, and the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail. Additionally, they worked with Ronald McDonald House (RMD) to prepare hot meals and treats for families staying at the RMD while their children were in the hospital.

Providing injury prevention services:

Our clinicians used their expertise as physical therapists to provide free assessments, stretching sessions, and injury prevention education to young athletes at La Academia FC, Healthy Kids Running Series, Special Olympics, and a local high school cross-country meet.

Athletico’s Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, clinic hosted a PETherapy adoption and fundraising event, which allowed members of the community to receive a free assessment while interacting with adoptable dogs and cats from the Humane Society of Summit County.

Participating in donation drives:

Many of Athletico’s teams from across regions worked together to organize and participate in various donation drives benefitting their communities. Drives ranged from collecting essentials for homeless shelters, gathering school supplies to support students and teachers, collecting food items to feed local families in need, and even donating items for animals at shelters.

Fundraising for a cause:

Some staff members made it their mission to raise money for important causes and nonprofits within their communities. Each year, Bill Frye, Athletic Trainer and Regional Coordinator, walks 101.5 miles from clinic to clinic in Northern Pennsylvania to raise awareness for childhood hunger and funds for Child Hunger Outreach Partners of Towanda. This year, Bill raised and donated $4,620.45!

Additionally, teams fundraised and participated in awareness events for the Greater Pittsburgh American Heart Association Walk, Arlington Alzheimer’s Walk and Caregiver’s Corner, and the Down Syndrome Festival & 5K. For Love Your Library Month in September, one PT organized initiatives to support the Northland Public Library Foundation, raising over $5,000 for the library!

“I believe that community service is vital to community sustainability. It builds relationships and provides important local resources that can drive global humanitarian growth. As a professional, I can show that I not only can be a physical therapist but also an integral member of my community. I love sharing my time through community outreach and seeing the happiness people have to engage in our events!” – Todd Kramer, PT, Vice President of Clinical Operations

Check out our teams in action for PT Day of Service!

The Athletico blog is an educational resource written by Athletico employees. Athletico bloggers are licensed professionals who abide by the code of ethics outlined by their respective professional associations. The content published in blog posts represents the opinion of the individual author based on their expertise and experience. The content provided in this blog is for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice and should not be relied on for making personal health decisions.