The American Heart Association, producer of America’s largest peer-to-peer fundraising program, was honored as the 2024 Organization of the Year by the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum.

The association produces both the Heart Walk, the country’s largest peer-to-peer fundraising program by dollars raised, but also organizes the Kids Heart Challenge, the fourth largest. 

Founded in 1993, The Heart Walk raised $106 million in 2023 at events in 220 cities. The Kids Heart Challenge, started in 1978, raised $80 million last year by engaging students in fundraising activities such as shooting hoops or jumping rope.

“It’s particularly exciting to recognize the American Heart Association in 2024 which is the group’s 100th anniversary,” said David Hessekiel, president of the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum. “You get a sense of the association’s peer-to-peer fundraising prowess when you realize that its two top programs raised nearly $900 million between 2019 and 2023 according to our annual Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Top Thirty study.”

“What an honor it is to be named Organization of the Year” said Kim Slone, executive vice president of development strategy and effectiveness with the American Heart Association. “There are many donors, volunteers and staff committed to our pursuit to save and improve lives from heart disease and stroke. Our mission to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives is not over. 

“As we celebrate our 100th birthday, we know that our future is about improving yours. Through meaningful activities like Heart Walk and Kids Heart Challenge, we will continue to engage people where they are with purposeful experiences that will ultimately drive our vision of advancing health and hope for everyone, everywhere”.

The Organization of the Year Award is sponsored by Eventage, a national event production agency serving businesses and nonprofits.

”Sometimes we forget how pervasive heart disease is, as just about everyone knows someone whose life has been changed or ended due to it,” said Matt Glass, Partner and Chief Creative Officer at Eventage. “That’s why I’m so happy that the American Heart Association is being recognized for their innovative and live-saving work. We’ve been proud to work with them and now we’re honored to present this recognition to them.”

Some past winners of the peer-to-peer fundraising organization of the year honor include the ALS Association, Alzheimer’s Association, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Pan-Mass Challenge, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, NAMI and the Terry Fox Foundation.