Peace Runners 773 and SPARC for Sports Launch Landmark Study Measuring the Broader Impact of Community Running

October 8, 2025

First-of-its-kind collaboration to quantify how community running drives better health, stronger connections, and local economic growth.

Chicago, IL & Austin, TX – October 8, 2025 /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – Peace Runners 773, a nonprofit transforming lives and communities on Chicago’s West Side through running, mentorship, and advocacy, has partnered with SPARC for Sports, which helps races and organizations across the running ecosystem build innovative, year-round marketing strategies, to launch a first-of-its-kind Impact Communications Research Project.

Working closely with Peace Runners founder Jackie Hoffman, SPARC partners Maria Vargas and Mary Arnold lead the project strategy, ensuring the research captures the full impact on participants, families, communities, and the broader running ecosystem. SPARC has engaged researchers Dr. Jennifer Wiggins-Lyndall and Dr. Shawn Rohlin of Kent State University to design and conduct the study.

“Our vision is to connect all the dots, combining rigorous health, economic, and social data with powerful stories from runners, their families, and neighborhoods. By capturing this full picture, we show the real impact of movement and provide actionable insights that guide organizations, funders, and the running industry toward meaningful, lasting change,” said Maria Vargas, co-founder at SPARC for Sports.

The research will also track outcomes such as new jobs, increased local spending, safer streets, improved wellness, and increased numbers of runners. Mobility data, including Strava heat maps, will reveal how movement shapes communities, while surveys and interviews will capture participants’ experiences.

“This project provides a unique opportunity to examine the benefits of a fitness-oriented program on the physical health, mental health, and economic health of a community. This has never been done before,” said Dr. Jennifer Wiggins-Lyndall, professor of marketing and entrepreneurship at Kent State University. “We are bringing together multiple sources of data and a team of researchers from different perspectives to capture the holistic impact of the program. By following individual journeys and community-wide changes, we aim to develop a model that shows how grassroots programs like Peace Runners can transform lives, families, and neighborhoods nationwide.”

Jackie Hoffman, Founder of Peace Runners 773, said, “The steps we take today toward healing our community create bigger impacts than we know. This study will help us uncover how Peace Runners is not only transforming individuals but also strengthening the economy, improving health, and livelihood. It’s proof that movement has the power to create lasting change.”

The Peace Runners’ impact extends well beyond its own programs. Due to their efforts, a range of community stakeholders are also positively impacted, including Chicago Events Management (CEM), the Garfield Park Conservatory, the Joyce Foundation, United Neighbors, the Equity Fund, and others. As Peace Runners grows, these partners and institutions benefit too, creating a network of shared success and demonstrating how grassroots running initiatives strengthen entire city ecosystems.

The project will release a Preliminary Impact Brief in December 2025 to support Peace Runners’ gala and sponsorship outreach, followed by a Comprehensive Impact Report in Summer 2026, providing a replicable framework for community-based programs nationwide.

About Peace Runners 773
Peace Runners 773 empowers individuals and neighborhoods through running, mentorship, and advocacy, bridging health disparities and creating pathways to economic opportunity.

About SPARC for Sports
SPARC for Sports helps races and endurance organizations build innovative, year-round marketing strategies, attract participants, engage sponsors, and showcase their impact across the running ecosystem. SPARC leads this study and manages the research to quantify the community and industry impact of Peace Runners 773.

Media Contacts
Maria Vargas | SPARC for Sports | maria@sparcforsports.com | www.sparcforsports.com
Jackie Hoffman | Peace Runners 773 | jackie@peacerunners773.com | www.peacerunners773.com

Media Pitch Email

Subject: Peace Runners 773 and SPARC Launch Groundbreaking Impact Study

Hi [First Name],

Peace Runners 773, a nonprofit on Chicago’s West Side, is teaming up with SPARC for Sports and researchers from Kent State University on a first-of-its-kind study that will measure the ripple effects of running beyond the finish line.

Backed by partners including Chicago Events Management, the Garfield Park Conservatory, the Joyce Foundation, United Neighbors, and the Equity Fund, Peace Runners is showing how running creates economic growth, improves health outcomes, and strengthens entire communities. These partners play a vital role in making that impact possible.

The project kicks off this fall, with a Preliminary Impact Brief expected in December 2025 and a Comprehensive Impact Report in summer 2026.

I’ve attached the full release with more details. I’d be glad to connect you with Maria Vargas or Mary Arnold (SPARC for Sports), Jackie Hoffman (Peace Runners 773), or Dr. Jennifer Wiggins-Lyndalll (Kent State University) for interviews.

Media Outlets to Pitch To

1. Local / Regional Outlets (Chicago + Midwest)

• Chicago Tribune (metro + health desk)
• Chicago Sun-Times (community, sports, and business desks)
• Block Club Chicago (hyperlocal community impact stories)
• WBEZ Chicago Public Radio (news and Reset for community issues)
• Crain’s Chicago Business (economic and nonprofit impact angle)

Note: I have two connections in the Midwest that can help with this.

2. National Running & Endurance Media

• Runner’s World (health & human interest desks)
• Trail Runner Magazine (community features)
• Canadian Running / Women’s Running (cross-border coverage + gender equity angle)
• Podcasts: Running for Real (Tina Muir), Ali on the Run, The Morning Shakeout (Mario Fraioli)
  

Why: These outlets will connect the study to the broader endurance community and amplify the “movement as change” narrative.

3. Public Health & Equity Media

• STAT News (health data + community health innovation)
• Kaiser Health News (KFF) (health policy & equity stories)
• The 19th (gender and equity-driven journalism)
• Inside Philanthropy (impact + funder interest)

Why: The health equity lens makes this more than a running story — it’s about community wellness and policy relevance.

4. Business & Economics Outlets

• Fast Company (social innovation + cities desk)
• Forbes (social entrepreneurship + sports business)
• Bloomberg CityLab (urban vitality + neighborhood stories)
• NPR Marketplace (economic ripple effect of grassroots programs)

Why: The Kent State economist angle makes this credible for business/econ reporters who care about ROI and community investment.

5. Philanthropy & Impact Investing Media

• Nonprofit Quarterly
  
• Stanford Social Innovation Review
  
• Chronicle of Philanthropy
  

Why: Funders are part of the audience — they’ll want to see the case for scaling and replication.

Media List Approach

• Tier 1 (5–8 outlets): Chicago Tribune, Block Club, WBEZ, Runner’s World, STAT, Fast Company, NPR Marketplace.
• Tier 2 (10–12 outlets): Regional/niche endurance outlets + philanthropy/impact investing.
• Tier 3 (Podcasts + trade): Build visibility with long-form storytelling in running and public health podcasts.