DEERFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Numerous health studies1 show that as little as 30 minutes of walking per day can help reduce one’s risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Walgreens (NYSE:WAG) (NASDAQ: WAG), with a national health initiative aimed at prevention and early detection of these leading diseases, today announced the launch of Walk with Walgreens – a program encouraging Americans to walk more and rewarding participants for every step they take on the road to better health.
Walk with Walgreens (www.walgreens.com/walk) is an online community and digital platform that enables members to log the steps they take and get rewards, in the form of weekly coupons, redeemable at Walgreens stores nationwide. Participants can also learn about the health benefits of walking, set walking goals, find local community walks and share content and information with family and friends through the site.
“Walk with Walgreens inspires people to take the small steps that lead to a well-life, making walking even more rewarding,” said Kim Feil, Walgreens chief marketing officer. “We’re creating a simple, national walking movement – walk, log, get rewards. It’s another way we’re educating and engaging our customers to help them stay well and live well.”
People can register online at www.walgreens.com/walk, where they will receive a virtual starter kit to begin the program. Registration is also available in the photo department at any Walgreens store or by texting “walk” to 21525.
Actress Alison Sweeney, host of “The Biggest Loser,” author of “The Mommy Diet” and a well-known proponent of healthy living and lifestyles, will help kick off Walk with Walgreens at noon EDT by leading a spirited walk through Times Square in New York. Sweeney will be joined by officials from the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, American Diabetes Association and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, as well as many others.
“As a working mom with a hectic schedule, finding time to walk every day is a top priority,” Sweeney said. “I’m proud to be a part of Walk with Walgreens because it’s a great way for people to become more aware of the importance of every step they take – how easy it is and how rewarding it can be in improving your health and helping you save.”
Joan Lunden, award-winning broadcast journalist, best-selling author and longtime advocate for a number of preventive health causes, is also associated with the program. Lunden is serving as a weekly contributor to the Walk with Walgreens website and will also be on hand for the kickoff event.
To celebrate the launch, Walgreens will also make a $1 donation for every new Walk with Walgreens registration in April, up to $100,000, to the aforementioned national health organizations as part of the Walgreens Way to Well Commitment™. The Way to Well Commitment is a four-year, $100 million health initiative to bring preventive health care resources, health testing services and charitable programs to Walgreens stores nationwide – helping to improve the everyday health of Americans through prevention and early detection of today’s leading diseases.
More on Walk with Walgreens
The Walk with Walgreens website contains a variety of interactive features and information on the four pillars of balanced wellness: health, community, nature and relationships. Site features include:
- Video content series – weekly video and blog posts from host Alison Sweeney
- Rewards – members receive a starter kit with exclusive wellness product and service offers, as well as regular rewards and coupons from a variety of health and wellness brands when steps are logged
- Professional and guest contributors – unique insight and advice from experts in the fields of health, wellness, cause and the environment
- User-generated content – opportunities for members to share inspiring stories, ideas, favorite walking venues and other information
- Forum/community – create your own profile page, search, message and connect with fellow walking friends
- Charity walks – links to cause partner sites provide members with quick reference to walks of interest in their area
- Social publishing features – easy-to-use publishing features, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and others allow members to share walks, stories and other content with those outside the site
About Walgreens
Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2010 sales of $67 billion. The company operates 7,689 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Each day, Walgreens provides nearly 6 million customers the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice in communities across America. Walgreens scope of pharmacy services includes retail, specialty, infusion, medical facility and mail service, along with respiratory services. These services improve health outcomes and lower costs for payers including employers, managed care organizations, health systems, pharmacy benefit managers and the public sector. Take Care Health Systems is a Walgreens subsidiary that is the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 700 locations throughout the country.
1 American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention