MR industry pools efforts to aid children impacted by crisis in Ukraine

More than 1,300 participants and 59 sponsors raised $130,000+ and logged more than 97,000 miles.

Saint Paul, MN – This May, the marketing research industry joined together and proved that, when we combine our efforts, we can accomplish some pretty amazing things – such as moving a collective 97,758 miles and surpassing our fundraising goal twice.

Over 1,300 participant and 59 sponsors dedicated their time, efforts and resources to the 2022 Race Around the World for Education to raise money for vulnerable children displaced by the war in Ukraine, particularly those who are orphaned or have special needs.

Thanks to the efforts of sponsors, donors and participants, the MREF will grant $132,298 to Baal Dan Charities, a US 501c3 public charity that helps vulnerable children in developing countries by providing small grants to grassroots organizations such as orphanages, schools and care facilities. In order to create a meaningful, sustainable impact, Baal Dan is working with organizations on the ground to address the complex issues facing Ukrainian refugee children.

Baal Dan was founded by Tanya Pinto, principal product planner in Microsft’s XC Research Team, after she took a life-changing sabbatical in 2005 to volunteer at Mother Teresa's orphanage and home for the dying in Kolkata, India. The charity funds and supports basic needs, such as the provision of food, education and supplies and small-scale construction (e.g., toilets and handpumps).

With a small and efficient team of volunteers, Baal Dan is able to ensure that they can mobilize quickly, to help those who need it most efficiently and directly with virtually no administrative costs, unlike some larger charitable organizations. Since 2006, the charity has helped over 10,000 children in 12 developing countries, directly providing grants to grassroots organizations such as orphanages, schools and centers that help vulnerable children including orphans, children with special needs, street children, victims of abuse or violence, refugees and children living in extreme poverty.

“Our mission is to provide help to vulnerable children in need in the most direct and efficient way possible,” says Pinto. “That’s what we’ll always do. Whether that’s sending funds for an emergency need that’s happening in Ukraine within a matter of months or whether it’s a long-term need like toilets and hand washing stations for a rural school in Nepal, we look for ways to be efficient and directly help vulnerable children in need. “

To learn more about Baal Dan’s lifesaving and empowering work to help children in need visit www.baaldan.com.

We are so grateful for the generosity of our race sponsors.

Victor Sponsors

Benenson Strategy Group, Forsta, Ipsos, PureSpectrum, Schlesinger Group, Seek Company, Shapiro & Raj, Quirk's Media

Champion Sponsors

aytm, Decision Analyst, Dig Insights, Echo MR, Focus Forward, FUEL + The Focus Room, GreenBook, Lunt Associates, MarketVision Research, Research Results Inc., Vital Findings, Zappi

Medalist Sponsors

Beall Research, CETRA, Collage Group, Digital Taxonomy, Emerald Research Group, Explorer Research, Fieldwork, Fine Research, Global Survey, Illuminas, InfoTools, Innovate MR, Ironwood Insights Group, LLC, L&E Research, Little Bird Marketing, M/A/R/C Research, MedSurvey, Employees of Microsoft -, Research Community, MDRG, Multilingual Connections, Prodege, Product Insights Inc., Rare Patient Voice, RC Horowitz & Company Inc., Russell Research, SightX, Veridata Insights

Competitor Sponsors

Beagle Insight, Behaviorally, CMB Info, Gazelle Global, Luth Research, MESH Experience, Op4G, Random Dynamic Resources, Quest Mindshare, SyncScript, Target Research Group, Thematic