The 24 HOUR RELAY CHALLENGE® is a three-stage community building and fund raising program. It forges and strengthens interagency partnerships, promotes intergenerational understanding, generates significant revenue for local youth development and community building initiatives. It also creates both the momentum and capacity for youth and adults to continue working together to improve their communities.

PROGRAM:

Stage 1 - The PLANNING
As partners in planning, representatives from all sectors of the community come to the same table to share responsibility for producing the 24 HOUR RELAY CHALLENGE® Event. This team of 30+ youth and adults receives two days of on-site training from Community Matters, along with comprehensive planning manuals. For approximately 6 months they work side by side on 10 committees following a clear and detailed plan that culminates in the Event itself. This process also equips citizens to work together on other important community projects by providing them with:

• vital experiential training in successful strategic planning
• practice working together in diverse and intergenerational teams
• opportunities to sharpen the skills required for effective collaboration.

Stage 2 - The EVENT
Youth and adults from varied backgrounds form teams of 10 people. Each team member walks or runs a mile, then passes the baton to a teammate in a cycle that repeats continuously for 24 hours. For one complete day, 30 or more teams of strangers-turned-friends live, work and play together -- without violence, tobacco, alcohol and other drugs. Volunteers provide support with an array of food, a diverse slate of activities and entertainment, and health and security services. And the whole community is invited to share in the celebration!

Stage 3 -- The REINVESTMENT
Each community takes its earnings -- $20,000 to $30,000 or more -- and reinvests them in locally determined community building and youth development initiatives. These programs and activities often include asset building, conflict mediation, mentoring, service and service learning, after school recreation and tutoring. Through this successful annual process, communities are united and become better places for all youth and adults to live, learn, work and serve.

BENEFITS:

Communities that have implemented the 24 HOUR RELAY CHALLENGE® report that the program:

• Builds and strengthens collaborative partnerships:
  • between schools and community groups
  • between youth and adults
  • between people of diverse backgrounds
• Generates significant funds to support community programs and activities that empower young people to be effective contributors to society, such as asset building, community service, crime and violence prevention, peer helping, after-school recreation and other activities, drug prevention, youth conferences, mentoring, scholarships and many others
• Shifts community norms away from violence, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs because participants have a meaningful, concrete experience of positive, healthy community.
• Gives youth training in planning, problem solving, public speaking and other skills required for successful employment.
• Promotes civic responsibility by engaging youth and adults in ongoing leadership and service opportunities.
• Gives a strong and lasting sense of personal accomplishment to all those involved, which helps them face other life challenges successfully.
• Establishes an annual celebration of community involvement and pride.
• Creates the momentum and capacity for ongoing and sustainable collaboration, so communities can successfully address other important issues.

Since its inception in the small northern California city of Ukiah in 1987, the 24 HOUR RELAY CHALLENGE® program has taken root in over 100 communities in 28 states all across the country. Rural, suburban, small town and inner city, these communities have raised over $3.5 million for programs and activities that support local prevention, youth development and community building efforts.