The Gateway Resilience Run (GRR) is a collaboration between The Gateway Resilience Fund and Big River Race Management to help small business owners and employees in the St. Louis Region address the COVID-19 crisis through the power of running, walking, and cycling. GRR is a virtual run or ride that participants can complete on their own, where and when it is convenient for them. Participants will receive a custom, limited-edition t-shirt and finisher medal, along with redeemable offers from local businesses all over the St. Louis region.

The goal of the event is to provide a sizable monetary donation to the Gateway Resilience Fund and to foster support for small businesses affected by COVID-19.

“With the entire running and ride event calendar canceled for the Spring, we wanted to give St. Louis a reason to stay motivated during this extraordinary time,” said Matt Helbig, co-owner of Big River Race Management, organizer of the event. “At the same time, we wanted to help other small businesses like ours that have been affected by COVID-19.”

“More than ever, our community is hungry for ways to stay active due to stay-at-home orders,” Helbig continued. “This virtual event gives them a reason to stay motivated while setting realistic goals towards helping small businesses in the St. Louis region.”

Big River is proud to partner with the Gateway Resilience Fund as the event’s primary beneficiary. The Gateway Resilience Fund makes grants to support employees, essential contractors, and owners of small businesses in the St. Louis region who are experiencing a financial burden due to a disaster or other extreme situation.

“To date, the Gateway Resilience Fund has issued $640,000 to 842 individuals and 20 businesses,” said Christine Ingrassia, from The Gateway Resilience Fund. “Unfortunately, we had to put a temporary pause on applications due to submission volume and the need to raise more funds. Fundraising from this event is important and will help us support many more small businesses in our region.”

Registration for GRR is now open! Visit www.gatewayresiliencerun.com, or email events@brrm.com with questions. Small businesses interested in getting involved can learn more HERE.