Health Clubs Combining Workouts and Philanthropy

Fueled by the increasing numbers of baby boomers buying gym memberships, health clubs are promoting themselves as hubs of charity, reports The New York Times.

Athletic clubs have hired outreach coordinators and are asking employees to urge members to donate time and money.

For example, the Curves chain of women’s gyms donated almost $1.5-million to relief efforts after Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. The founders, Gary and Diane Heavin, matched the donations to raise the amount to $3.1-million.

Charity experts say that such efforts reflect business savvy. Says Eugene R. Tempel, executive director of the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University in Indianapolis, “It’s a terrific marketing idea. Studies show that if people have a choice to deal with an organization that is philanthropic versus not, about 75 percent of people prefer the philanthropic organization.”

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