BOSTON, April 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — John Hancock today is launching the #WeRunTogether digital mosaic to bring the extended Boston Marathon community together in the weeks leading up to the race on April 21.

The company is inviting all individuals connected to the city of Boston or the Boston Marathon – runners, volunteers, civic leaders, pro athletes, friends and fans – to contribute a photo, video or message that relates a personal story or shows support for the Boston Marathon community.  Each post will become a clickable tile in a digital mosaic which will be located on the JHextramile.com blog site.

To support this effort, John Hancock announced that it will make an initial donation of $26.2K to One Fund Boston at the outset of the program, and then will donate an additional $1 for every uploaded submission, up to another $26.2K.

“The resilience, unity and optimism of the Boston Marathon community has always been strong, but this year individuals, more than ever, want to share their support and be connected to all the good that is embodied in this race,” said Tom Crohan, assistant vice president and counsel, John Hancock. “We hope the stories and messages shared in the mosaic will capture the spirit and connectivity of the running community, and demonstrate that across the country and around the world, we are all on the journey together – rooting for one another.”

To grow the mosaic, each person who uploads a message will have the opportunity to share their participation in the experience with his or her social network encouraging them to join the #WeRunTogether community. For those running for one of the many charities involved in the Boston Marathon, a link to their CrowdRise fundraising page will be a part of their tile, making it easy for friends to support their efforts.

To further the social experience, John Hancock also has created a suite of eCards with the “We Run Together” theme to offer messages of support, congratulations or thanks. They can be found on the JHextramile.com site or at www.johnhancock.com.

“This year’s marathon will be like no other,” said Crohan, “but through activities and experiences like #WeRunTogether, we are confident the generosity and resiliency of everyone involved will come shining through.”

About JHextramile.com

JHextramile.com is a blog site established by John Hancock in 2013 to provide inspiration for going the extra mile in order to reach goals relating to personal health, fitness training, fundraising, or making a difference in the lives of family members, friends, or the community.  Occasional posts are made by experts and ordinary individuals with stories to share. 

About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial

John Hancock Financial is a division of Manulife Financial, a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were C$599 billion (US$563 billion) as at December 31, 2013. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as ‘MFC’ on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under ‘945’ on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at manulife.com.

The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers and administers a broad range of financial products, including life insurance, annuities,investments, 401(k) plans,long-term care insurance,college savings, and other forms of business insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com.

SOURCE John Hancock Financial