Massage Envy and Arthritis Foundation Join Forces for 5th Annual Healing Hands for Arthritis Event

One-day event aims to raise $2 million to find cure for nation's leading cause of disability

News provided by

Sep 02, 2015, 08:30 ET

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- With the joint purpose to help people feel their best by conquering every day battles, Massage Envy and the Arthritis Foundation are leveraging their national partnership to host the fifth annual Healing Hands for Arthritis® (HHFA). The one-day national fundraising and awareness event will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 16 at over 1,000 Massage Envy locations across the country.

For every 1-hour massage or facial session, Massage Envy will donate $10 to the Arthritis Foundation to support new scientific discoveries, create a faster path to a cure and provide valuable resources to help people with arthritis live their best life. In addition, ten percent of Massage Envy retail sales from Murad, Performance Health (Biofreeze and Bon Vital) and Wyndmere will be donated that day.

"Through our collaborative partnership with the Arthritis Foundation, we've been able to bring awareness to the therapeutic benefits of regular massage for those with arthritis," said Debbie Gonzalez, chief brand officer at Massage Envy. "Since kicking off Healing Hands for Arthritis four years ago, we have raised more than $3 million for this important cause and we can't thank our members, guests and franchisees enough for their continued support."

Arthritis impacts more than 50 million Americans - that's one in five people - including 300,000 children. It is the nation's leading cause of disability, costing more than $156 billion annually in lost wages and medical expenses and the loss of 172 million work days.

"The potential benefits of massages for those with arthritis, aligns with our goal to be the Champion of Yes – providing personalized help and support for people dealing with the daily challenges of arthritis," said Ann Palmer, president and chief executive officer of the Arthritis Foundation. "We're excited to support Massage Envy during their Healing Hands for Arthritis event and greatly appreciate the contributions from Massage Envy and the support from their members and guests to fund the important scientific discoveries that create a path for new treatments and a cure."

In 2014, Massage Envy raised more than $1 million for Healing Hands for Arthritis. The fundraising goal for 2015 is $2 million. To find the nearest location to make an appointment, give a cash donation or purchase retail, visit www.MassageEnvy.com/locations.

Massage Envy is also a national sponsor of the Arthritis Foundation's fundraising events Walk to Cure Arthritis® and Jingle Bell Run®. For those who are unable to attend the event, donations are also accepted all year long on behalf of the Arthritis Foundation at www.MassageEnvy.com/healing-hand-for-arthritis. Join the online conversation by using #HHFA.

About Massage Envy
Massage Envy, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, is a national franchisor, and through its franchised locations, is the leading provider of therapeutic massage and skincare services in the United States. The national franchise is dedicated to providing professional and affordable therapeutic massage and skincare services to members and guests with busy lifestyles at convenient times and locations. Founded in 2002, Massage Envy has more than 1,000 franchise locations in 49 states and 1.5 million members. In addition, the average unit volume for a franchise location is $1.35 million. Through its national partnership with the Arthritis Foundation, Massage Envy has raised more than $3 million in four, one-day Healing Hands for Arthritis events. The company was recently ranked #1 Best Franchise with an initial investment of $500,001 and up by Forbes, #79 in Franchise Time's Top 200, #51 in Entrepreneur's 2014 Franchise 500 and #27 in its Fastest Growing Franchise rankings. Massage Envy is a member of the International Franchise Association (IFA) and was named a 2013 Military Friendly Franchise. For more information, visit MassageEnvy.com.

About Arthritis Foundation
The Arthritis Foundation is the Champion of Yes. Leading the fight for the arthritis community, the Foundation helps conquer everyday battles through life-changing information and resources, access to optimal care, advancements in science and community connections. The Arthritis Foundation's goal is to chart a winning course, guiding families in developing personalized plans for living a full life – and making each day another stride towards a cure. The Foundation also publishes Arthritis Today, the award-winning magazine that reaches 4.2 million readers.

SOURCE Massage Envy