CENTURY 21 Circle Launches Its 2026 International Week of Giving Initiative Benefiting Easterseals

Miles That Matter — A Virtual Movement Challenge

This summer, CENTURY 21 Circle is turning movement into impact with Miles That Matter. From July 27 through September 7 — 43 days in total — CENTURY 21 Circle is hosting Miles That Matter, a virtual movement challenge benefiting Easterseals. Agents, staff, friends, family, clients, vendor partners, and community members are invited to walk, run, ride, or roll from anywhere. Together, we're working toward one shared goal: 21,000 miles in support of Easterseals. You can join the campaign here.

The number 21,000 isn't arbitrary. It's a nod to CENTURY 21's own name and a reminder that this campaign is bigger than any one person's step count. It's a collective goal, built mile by mile by an entire community across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Florida, and beyond.

Miles That Matter is designed to be flexible, inclusive, and easy to join. Participants can register individually, create or join a team, log miles throughout the challenge, fundraise, donate, and cheer each other on along the way. Whether you complete one mile or 100, every step, ride, and roll helps move the mission forward.

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At a Glance

• Campaign: Miles That Matter, a virtual movement challenge (view the campaign page)
• Dates: July 27 – September 7, 2026 (43 days)
• Goal: 21,000 collective miles
• Beneficiary: Easterseals
• Who can join: Agents, employees, vendors, partners, clients, friends, and family across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Florida — and anywhere else, virtually
• How to join: Register individually or as a team through the campaign page on RallyUp

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Miles That Matter Across Four States, One Goal

CENTURY 21 Circle's network spans Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Florida — hundreds of agents, employees, vendors, and partners spread across four states and dozens of communities. That footprint is exactly why a virtual format makes sense for this campaign.

A traditional in-person event asks everyone to be in the same place at the same time. Miles That Matter asks something different. It asks people to show up wherever they are, however they move, and let it count toward the same goal.

Illinois

An agent in a Chicago suburb can log a lunchtime walk between showings. Illinois is home to CENTURY 21 Circle's largest concentration of offices, so it's a natural place for the campaign to pick up early momentum.

Indiana

Visiting Indianapolis, a colleague can walk around downtown, visit the shops, and log those steps. In Northwest Indiana, agents from our LaPorte and Michigan City offices might walk the Lake Michigan shoreline or a downtown block before the workday even starts. Together, these communities help Indiana round out one of the network's longest-standing regions.

Michigan

Biking to work is an easy way for a vendor partner in Grand Rapids to rack up miles. Michigan is the network's newest state, making Miles That Matter a great way to welcome new offices into a shared, company-wide effort.

Florida

Sunset walks on the beach come easy for a client in Tampa. Florida extends the network — and the campaign — well beyond the Midwest.

None of this requires travel, a shared office, or a single zip code. All it takes is a phone, a few steps, and a shared 21,000-mile goal that adds up no matter where each mile happens. As a result, every office, every affiliated vendor, and every community partner across CENTURY 21 Circle's network has an equal way to take part, starting on day one.

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What Counts as a Mile?

One of the best parts of Miles That Matter is how broad the definition of "movement" really is. A mile can come from:

• A morning or evening walk, run, or jog
• A bike ride, indoors or out
• Using a wheelchair or other mobility device to get around
• Walking meetings instead of sit-down calls
• Taking the stairs instead of the elevator throughout the day
• A family walk after dinner, a dog walk, or a stroll with a stroller
• Yard work, hiking, or any other activity that gets you moving

There's no single "right" way to participate. The campaign is built around a simple idea: consistent, everyday movement adds up just as much as a structured workout does. That's what makes it realistic to stick with for all 43 days.

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Why a Virtual Challenge?

Not everyone can attend an in-person event, and that's exactly the point. A virtual format means participation isn't limited by geography, schedule, or fitness level. Someone might be training for a 5K, walking the dog after dinner, biking to work, or pushing a stroller around the block. Either way, it all counts toward the same goal.

This kind of flexibility also means no one is left out because of distance. Offices, agents, vendors, and community partners across several states can all take part at the same time. None of them need to travel anywhere to do it. It also lowers the barrier to entry: no registration fee, no dress code, and no single time or place to be. Anyone with a smartphone or fitness tracker can join in minutes.

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Why Movement? Why Now?

What the Research Shows

There's a timely reason behind a movement-based campaign this year. A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis published in BMC Public Health pooled results from 38 studies and more than 280,000 participants. It found that people working from home tend to sit roughly 31 more minutes during work hours and take about 2,500 fewer steps per day compared to onsite work. In fact, the same review found that the odds of sitting eight or more hours a day were roughly doubled for people working from home. Remote and hybrid work bring real advantages. However, the researchers behind the review pointed out that the incidental movement built into a commute, a walk to a coworker's desk, or a trip to grab lunch doesn't happen automatically anymore. As a result, it needs to be rebuilt intentionally.

Movement Beyond the Numbers

Movement matters for more than physical health, too. Mental Health America notes that movement doesn't have to look like a structured workout to make a difference. A walk around the block, a stretch at your desk, or a dance break can all support mood, reduce stress, and help people feel more connected to the routines and people around them. In other words, even small, imperfect movement counts. That fits well with a campaign built on cumulative, everyday miles rather than one big feat of endurance.

A Culture That Puts People First

CENTURY 21 Circle's people come first, and Miles That Matter is one way that shows up in practice. A healthier, more active routine is good for individuals navigating busier and more sedentary workdays. It's also good for team culture. Plus, because it's tied directly to a fundraising goal, it's good for Easterseals too. In short, a few minutes of movement is good for the individual, good for the team, and good for the cause.

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Why Easterseals?

Easterseals provides expert care and community-based services for children, adults, veterans, caregivers, and families of all abilities. Their programs help people live, learn, work, and participate more fully in their communities. This support spans early childhood development, employment services, and care for people at every stage of life. Easterseals affiliates also operate in communities across the country. So, the impact of Miles That Matter reaches far beyond the states where CENTURY 21 Circle operates directly.

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A Partnership Built Over Decades

CENTURY 21 Circle's support of Easterseals is part of a much longer story.

The Numbers Behind the Partnership

Since 1979, the CENTURY 21 brand and Easterseals have worked side by side, a partnership now in its 47th year. In 2025 alone, the CENTURY 21 System raised more than $2.19 million for Easterseals, bringing the network's total lifetime giving to over $143 million.

A Shared Commitment

Leadership on both sides has spoken to what keeps that relationship going. CENTURY 21 Real Estate's Chief Operating Officer also serves on the Easterseals National Board of Directors. He has described the partnership as one built on a shared commitment to dignity and inclusion. He credits independent brokers and agents across the network for consistently showing up to support the cause year after year. Similarly, Easterseals' own President and CEO has credited the CENTURY 21 network's sustained, community-level commitment. She calls it a meaningful part of the organization's ability to keep pace with the needs of the people it serves.

CENTURY 21® and International Week of Giving

Each year, as we mark the CENTURY 21® brand anniversary, we also celebrate something even more meaningful: our commitment to giving back. What began as a single day of service has grown into a powerful tradition, International Week of Giving (IWOG). IWOG has become a cornerstone of brand culture. It's a time when the network unites to uplift communities, support causes that matter, and lead with heart.

In 2026, IWOG runs July 27–31 — the same week Miles That Matter launches.

Miles That Matter is CENTURY 21 Circle's own contribution to that legacy. It turns a global week of giving into a 43-day movement that carries all the way through to The Century Classic. For more background, you can read the history of the CENTURY 21 and Easterseals partnership here.

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How to Get Involved in Miles That Matter

There are several ways to support the campaign.

Register as a Participant

Sign up individually and start logging your activity right away. Registration takes just a few minutes on the campaign page.

Create or Join a Team

Rally your office, your agent network, your vendor partners, or your friends and family into a team, and track your combined progress together.

Log Your Miles

Track your progress throughout the 43-day challenge using a phone, smartwatch, fitness tracker, or fitness app. Then log your miles through RallyUp and watch the collective total grow toward 21,000.

Make a Donation

Support the campaign directly, even if you're not logging miles yourself. Every dollar raised supports Easterseals.

Support a Participant or Team

Sponsor someone you know who is taking part, the same way you might sponsor a runner in a race.

Share the Campaign

Spread the word with friends, family, clients, and community members so more people can join and more miles can be logged.

There's no wrong way to move — walking, running, riding, and rolling all count.

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Teams Make the Difference

Because participants can join through office, vendor, or community teams, Miles That Matter naturally creates some friendly competition along the way. A team environment gives people an extra reason to stay engaged, check in on each other's progress, and keep showing up for the full 43 days. Whether your team is made up of coworkers, clients, or neighbors, every mile your team logs adds directly to the 21,000-mile total.

Teams also make the campaign feel less like a solo obligation and more like something to do together. Consider a group of coworkers who commit to a daily walk, or a family that turns dinner-time strolls into official campaign miles. Even a group of vendor partners challenging each other to hit a weekly total counts. Each one turns individual effort into shared progress toward the same goal — and toward CENTURY 21 Circle's broader support of Easterseals.

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Miles That Matter: A Challenge Worth Celebrating

Miles That Matter concludes on September 7. Final results and campaign highlights will be announced after the challenge ends. Special recognition will also take place later this year at The Century Classic, CENTURY 21 Circle's golf outing and dinner fundraiser also benefiting Easterseals. There, the community will gather to celebrate the people, teams, and collective impact behind the campaign.

Miles That Matter and The Century Classic are two distinct ways CENTURY 21 Circle is supporting Easterseals this year — one virtual, one in person. Together, they tell the story of a community showing up for a cause in more than one way. You don't need to attend The Century Classic to take part in Miles That Matter. Likewise, you don't need to log a single mile to attend The Century Classic. Either way, you're contributing to the same mission.

Every mile helps. Every dollar matters. Every participant makes a difference.

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Ready to Move with Purpose?

Join Online

Register or donate today →

Join by Text

Register

Text JOIN21 to 33100.

Donate

Text C21GIVES to 33100.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Miles That Matter?

Miles That Matter is a virtual walkathon and movement challenge hosted by CENTURY 21 Circle. It runs July 27 through September 7, 2026, with a goal of reaching 21,000 collective miles in support of Easterseals.

Who can participate?

Anyone — agents, employees, vendors, partners, clients, friends, and family — can join from anywhere, regardless of location.

Why is this a virtual challenge instead of an in-person event?

CENTURY 21 Circle's network spans Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Florida. A virtual format lets everyone across that footprint participate on equal footing, without needing to travel.

Do I need special equipment to participate?

No. A phone, smartwatch, or fitness tracker is enough to log your activity. Walking, running, riding, and rolling all count toward the total.

How do I log my miles?

Track your activity with a phone, smartwatch, fitness tracker, or app. Then log your miles through the campaign page on RallyUp.

Can I join as part of a team?

Yes. Participants can join through an office, vendor, or community team, or register as an individual.

Does movement really make a difference for wellbeing, or is that just marketing?

There's real research behind it. A large 2025 meta-analysis found that remote work is associated with more sitting and fewer daily steps. Meanwhile, organizations like Mental Health America emphasize that everyday movement, not just structured exercise, helps counter that and supports mood and stress levels.

How does Miles That Matter connect to The Century Classic?

Miles That Matter is a separate initiative from The Century Classic, CENTURY 21 Circle's golf outing and dinner fundraiser. Winners and campaign achievements from Miles That Matter will be recognized during The Century Classic program. However, the two events have separate registration and identities.

What does Easterseals do?

Easterseals is a national nonprofit that provides care and support services to children and adults with disabilities, caregivers, older adults, veterans, and their families.

How long has CENTURY 21 supported Easterseals?

The CENTURY 21 brand and Easterseals have partnered since 1979 — a relationship now in its 47th year. Together, they've raised more than $143 million system-wide, including over $2.19 million in 2025 alone. Read the full history here.

How can I support the campaign if I can't log miles myself?

You can make a donation, sponsor a participant or team, or simply help spread the word to friends, family, and community members.

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This campaign can be found at c21circle.rallyup.com/milesthatmatter, powered by RallyUp.