Parent company of LA Fitness, City Sports Club, and Club Studio commits $250,000 annually to research initiatives in the USA
IRVINE, Calif., March 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fitness International, LLC, the parent company of LA Fitness, City Sports Club, and Club Studio, today announced a multi-year partnership with Wings for Life USA. Wings for Life is a non-profit spinal cord research foundation with the single mission to find a cure for spinal cord injuries.
As part of the agreement, Fitness International will contribute $250,000 annually from 2026 through 2028, supporting the foundation’s research initiatives. Funds will be raised through a combination of direct corporate donations, sponsorships, and community fundraising activities across Fitness International clubs in the United States and Canada.
“Fitness is about more than physical strength; it’s about uniting people around the same mission. Through our partnership with Wings for Life, we have an opportunity to channel that collective energy into something truly meaningful,” said Jill Hill, President of Club Operations for Fitness International, “We, along with our members and team members across North America, are proud to support life-changing research aimed at curing spinal cord injuries. Together we can make a real and lasting impact.”
Fitness International clubs will support the initiative through member participation in the Wings for Life World Run, in-club events, and fundraising initiatives designed to raise awareness and generate support for spinal cord injury research.
The partnership will connect Fitness International’s United States and Canadian club communities with the Wings for Life World Run on May 10th, 2026, the world’s largest running event. Each year, using a unique competition format, participants run, walk, or roll at the very same time around the globe to raise money for spinal cord injury research.
Instead of making their way towards the finish line, participants move in the opposite direction while being pursued by the iconic “Catcher Car,” that begins moving 30 minutes after the race starts. Once this moving finish line overtakes participants, individuals will have successfully completed their race, until the final participants are caught and crowned the global champions.
“As Red Bull’s charity of choice, all administrative costs for the foundation are covered by Red Bull. That way, we are able to make a unique guarantee that 100% of every dollar donated goes directly to funding research in the United States,” said Andrew Wagner, CEO of Wings for Life USA. “Partnerships with organizations like Fitness International amplify our impact, help us reach even more people, and bring us one step closer to finding a cure.”
Through its network of clubs and millions of members, Fitness International is committed to mobilizing one of the largest fitness communities in North America to support this critically important cause and drive research forward.
About Fitness International
Fitness International, LLC has 673 health club locations across 26 U.S. states and Canada. Follow LA Fitness, Club Studio, and City Sports Club on Facebook, Instagram or by downloading the mobile app.
About Wings for Life Spinal Cord Research Foundation
Worldwide, millions of people are dependent on a wheelchair after having sustained a spinal cord injury, most often as the result of a traffic accident or a fall. Wings for Life is a non-profit spinal cord research foundation with the single mission to find a cure for spinal cord injury. Since 2004, Wings for Life has funded life-changing research projects and clinical trials around the globe. While a cure is still to be found, steady progress has been made. Wings for Life USA was recognized as a 501 (c)(3) non-profit foundation in 2017 to fund scientific research and clinical trials in the United States.
Media Contact: mediarelations@fitnessintl.com
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SOURCE Fitness International LLC
