Meet the 2016 Health Hero Challenge Semifinalists!

Mark your calendars: Voting kicks off September 13th!

By Adjua Fisher· 8/29/2016, 11:30 a.m.

Drumroll, please! We are very excited to introduce you to the 16 semifinalists for this year’s Health Hero Challenge, our fifth annual search for Philly’s Health Hero. Once September 13th rolls around, we’ll be opening the contest up to reader voting here so that you — yes, you! — can select a winner.

If you need a refresher on how the Health Hero Challenge works, here’s the rundown: Earlier this summer, we asked you to submit nominations for people who you see as Health Heroes — folks in the region helping their communities be healthier and happier. Then, editors at Philadelphia magazine read over 600 nominations (!), ultimately narrowing it down to the 16 semifinalists below. Throughout September and October, we’ll be asking you to vote for your favorite Health Hero here.

Four semifinalists will be up for voting each week as outlined below, and the winner of each week will go on to the finals in late October. You’ll be able to vote once every 24 hours during the contest, so put some reminders in your calendar now. The winner of the Health Hero Challenge will be featured in an upcoming issue of Philadelphia magazine, and will receive a $10,000 donation in his or her name to a charity of choice and each of the three runners up will receive $2,500 donations to their chosen charities.

To help you get pumped for the contest, we’ll be rolling out Q&As with each of the semifinalists this week and next so you can learn more about what makes them champions of health and wellness in Philly.

Congrats to all our challengers!