MS, Other Groups to Benefit from Fitbit’s Step Challenge

Fitbit, a company dedicated to the development of health and fitness products and experiences to help individuals adopt healthier lifestyles, recently announced the FitForGood initiative, a step challenge encouraging Fitbit fans to get fit for a good cause — with their steps translating into funding for three national non-profit organizations: the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, The American Heart Association and The American Diabetes Association.

“The work that each of these three organizations do is so important to our country and closely aligns with our mission as a company, which is to give people the tools to help them live healthier, more active lives,” said James Park, Fitbit Co-Founder and CEO, in the press release. “By helping people see how small changes can add up to big results, Fitbit makes the path toward health and fitness fun, engaging and sustainable. Like we did with FitForFood earlier this year, we’re encouraging all of our users to get active and do something good for themselves while providing an opportunity to give back at the same time.”

As of Nov. 4, individuals with a Fitbit account can sign up for the challenge and select one of the three organizations they would like to support. The initiative runs from Nov. 9 to 20, during which the participants’ steps will be counted. In the end of the challenge, Fitbit will donate $1 million in total to the three non-profit organizations according to the number of steps accumulated in the 2-week period: $500,000 for the organization with the highest number of steps collected, $350,000 for the second-most receiving organization, and finally $150,000 for the third organization.

Julianne Hough, actress, singer, dancer and Emmy Award-winning choreographer, is a Fitbit Ambassador and will offer motivation to inspire individuals nationwide to get fit for good.

“FitForGood struck me as such an engaging, unique way to get people up and moving in support of three incredible causes,” said Julianne Hough. “Growing up as a dancer, health and fitness have always been at the core of my lifestyle and I’m excited to be sharing that passion with Fitbit’s fans, encouraging them to move more for good this month.”

Anyone in the United States with a Fitbit account can sign-up for this initiative. The ones without a Fitbit device can participate through the MobileTrack on the free Fitbit app for their Android, iOs or Windows device.

Fitbit believes that tracking daily activity, sleep and nutrition can positively impact a person’s health status and well-being, including those who suffer from a chronic disease.