Participant Login

Frequently Asked Questions

Some common questions and answers about Walk for Hope can be found at the links below.

General Event / Pre-Registration

General Fundraising

My Fundraising Site

Incentive Prizes (including Hilton HHonors)

Day of Event

General Event / Pre-Registration      

Some common questions about Walk for Hope and registration are listed below.

How do I pre-register?
An applicant can register either online at http://www.walk4hope.org/ or by filling out a form and sending a check. Select a location for details on the pre-pregistration cut off date.

Do I have to be at the event in order to participate or contribute? 
If you cannot make it to the event, you can still donate to another walker’s team, you can participate as a virtual walker, or make a general donation to Walk. Virtual walkers basically have all the perks and responsibilities of a regular walker, they just happen not to be present on the day of the event. Select a location to register.

How do I join a team? 
If you are registering online, go to http://www.walk4hope.org/, select a location and and click on "Register Now," and select "Team Member" on the subsequent page.  If you are registering via mail, make sure that you indicate the team you want to join, spelling it to the best of your ability. 

I am trying to register online but am getting server errors. What should I do?

• Please email us at fundraising@coh.org with the following information:
• Date you experienced issue
• The step in the registration process and what exactly you were doing when you experienced it
• The operating system (Windows XP, MAC OS 10, etc), browser and version you were using
• Your contact information where we can reach you

I am trying to register online but my credit card is not being accepted. What should I do?
Credit card transactions are most often declined because of an address mismatch or CCV value mismatch. Please double check your credit card and billing information. If you continue to experience an issue, please email us at fundraising@coh.org with the following information:

• Date you experienced issue
• The error code that was displayed on the page when your credit card was declined
• Your full name and contact information where we can reach you

I am trying to pay with a credit card but I keep getting a message saying that you only accept credit cards issued by a U.S. bank, even though mine was issued in the U.S. Why am I receiving this error message?
The message that appears at the top of the page about US credit cards is not an error message—it’s just a note. If you try to donate and can’t proceed to the next page, most often it's due to missing required fields. Scroll down the page to see if there are any red error message indicating which fields are missing.

My credit card was declined when I tried to register, but why are the charge(s) are showing up on my statement when I call the credit card company?
When you attempt to use a credit card, the bank that issued the credit card "holds" the funds, regardless of whether or not the transaction was approved. When the bank "settles" with City of Hope's payment processor, all charges that we declined will fall off your billing statement within 5-10 business days. If an erroneous charge remains on your statement after 10 business days, please email us at fundraising@coh.org with the following information:

• Date you attempted the charge
• Your full name and contact information where we can reach you

If you cannot find the answer you need, City of Hope has representatives available Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST to assist you. Please e-mail your questions to fundraising@coh.org for the fastest response and include as much detail as possible.

We will attempt to contact you within 48 hours. Thank you for your support.

General Fundraising      

How do I make a general donation to Walk for Hope? I can't participate and I don't know anyone to sponsor.
Click here to make a general donation online to Walk for Hope. If you prefer to mail a check, please write "Walk for Hope General Donation" in the memo field and send to:

City of Hope
Peng Garbo    
1055 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA  90017

Who should checks be made out to?
Please make all checks payable to City of Hope.

What do you do with my and my donor's personal information?
City of Hope does not sell, rent or give personal information to any third party. Occasionally City of Hope may send you medical or event-related information. You can choose to opt out of these communications at any time. View our full privacy policy. 

Are donations tax deductible?
All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Please work with your tax professional to determine eligible deductions.

Can I accept credit card donations from people who do not live in the United States?
Currently City of Hope accepts credit cards issued by U.S. banks, no matter where you reside; however, we are unable at this time to process credit card transactions for cards issued by banks in other countries.

Can my team have more than one team captain?
Unfortunately, our system precludes us from acknowledging more than one person as the team captain.
 
Can I change the team captain?
Contact the location that you're participating in and we would be more than happy to assist you with this. View all locations.

Who can I contact if I need help with my Web site? 
If you cannot find the answer you need, City of Hope has representatives available Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST to assist you. Please e-mail your questions to fundraising@coh.org with as much detail as possible for the fastest response.

My Fundraising Site      

How do I get an online fundraising site?
An online fundraising site is automatically available to anyone who registers online. If you did not register online and would like a fundraising site, or if you registered online but didn't get an email with your login information, please email fundraising@coh.org with your name and Walk location. If you did not

What is the password for my fundraising site?
You will find your e-mail address and password on the "Participant Registration Confirmation" you were e-mailed after you registered online.

If you don’t have your receipt, you can get your password e-mailed to you again. Just go to the login page and click on the “Forgot your password?” link.

What is my fundraising site's URL?
You should have received a "Participant Registration Confirmation" email with a link to your site. If not, you can find it as follows:

Click here to find a team or participant by location.
When you're on the respective location page: 

• To find a team, click on the "Show All Teams" link.
• To find a partipant, click on "Sponsor a Participant" link in the left navigation.
• When you arrive at the respective participant or team page, you'll find the URL in the address bar of your browser. Copy and paste that URL wherever you'd like.

How do I change the name of my team?
Please email us at fundraising@coh.org with the name you registered under, Walk location, current team name and the name you'd like us to change it to. Please note that the URL to your team's fundraising page will also change. Team Captains can login to their fundraising site and obtain the new URL by clicking on "Preview Site" next to their team name.

I am getting server errors when using my fundraising site. What should I do?
Please email us at fundraising@coh.org with the following information:

• Date you experienced issue
• What exactly you were doing when you experienced it
• The operating system (Windows XP, MAC OS 10, etc), browser and version you were using
• Your email address and contact phone number

I am getting a "Page has timed out" error. What should I do?
Make sure your browser is set to accept cookies, and clear your browser cache.

Enable cookies by following the instructions at http://www.google.com/cookies.html. Close and restart your browser, then try logging in again.

Clear your browser cache by following the instructions on this page: http://www.americanfunds.com/help/clearing-browser-cache.htm

I received an email letting me know I got a donation, but why doesn't the donation show up on my fundraising page?
The donation amount should be reflected in the total amount raised, but the donor's name will show up only if the donor chose to leave a message on the Donor Wall. To see the list of all donations, login to your fundraising site to view a donation report:

• Login to your fundraising site. Once logged in,
• Click on "My Donations" in the left navigation. On the My Donations page, you will see links to view your donation reports.

I am getting errors when trying to upload or select a photo. What should I do?
Make sure your photo is less than 100k in file size and in .jpg or .gif format. Photos straight from a digital camera will typically be several megabytes in size, which you'll need to resize using a photo editing program or the software that came with your camera. If you continue to have issues, please email the photo to fundraising@coh.org with your email login and password.

My question wasn't answered. Who can I contact for additional help with my fundraising site? 
If you cannot find the answer you need, City of Hope has representatives available Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST to assist you. Please e-mail your questions to fundraising@coh.org for the fastest response, and include your login email address and password if you know it.

Incentive Prizes (including Hilton HHonors)       

Q:  When will I get my Hilton HHonors bonus points?
A:  Hilton HHonors bonus points will be issued to your account 6-10 weeks after the event date. 

Q:  Will we receive our Hilton HHonors points automatically?
A:  If you provided a valid Hilton HHonors account number at the time of online registration, the points will be automatically added to your account  6-10 weeks after the event date. 

Q:  What happens if I have not received my points by December 31, 2008?
A:  If your points have not appeared by December 31, 2008, please e-mail walk4Hope@coh.org to check on the status of your points.

Q:  Does the name on the Hilton HHonors account have to match the person’s name that is using the HH number to register for the Walk?
A:  Yes, the person registering online must be the person with the Hilton HHonors account.

Q:  I’ve already registered online to walk but didn’t have my Hilton HHonors number with me at the time.
A:  To qualify for the Hilton HHonors bonus points, you must include your Hilton HHonors account number at the time of registering online. No exceptions, please. 

Q:  I do not live in a city with a Walk event.  Can I still participate and earn Hilton HHonors points?
A:  Absolutely.  You have to register online as a Virtual Walker at one of the Walk events and donate the required amounts to earn the points.  For more information, visit the incentive prize page of our web site.

Q:  If I register to participate as a Virtual Walker at all nine Walk events, can I qualify for Hilton HHonors points at each event?
A:  Yes. The total funds raised per Hilton HHonors account is used to determine the incentive prize.  For example, if you register for 3 walks and spend $25 for each registration, you will have raised a total of $75 and will be awarded with a total of 2,000 Hilton HHonors bonus points. There is a limit of up to 7,000 Hilton HHonors bonus points per Hilton HHonors account.

Q:  I am not a member of Hilton HHonors.  Can I still qualify for the free-night stay prizes?
A:  Yes.  All participants who raise $1,000 or more will receive a certificate for a free night stay at any participating Hilton Family hotel in the 48 continental United States (Cat. 6).  However, Hilton HHonors points are only awarded to those participants who register online and provide a valid Hilton HHonors number at the time of registration.  If you are not a Hilton HHonors member, it’s easy to sign up and free to join.  Visit http://www.hiltonhonors.com/ to enroll.

Day of Event      

Can I register on the day of the event? 
Absolutely. We will have registration tables set up at the event location. Registration is fast and easy. 

What should I wear for the Walk?
Cool and comfortable workout clothes are ideal. It is often chilly in the morning, so bring a sweatshirt to wear over your t-shirt. Running or jogging suits are also good choices. Sneakers, tennis shoes, walking or running shoes are also advised. Wear a baseball cap or a hat with a brim to protect you from the sun during the Walk. It’s always a good idea to wear sunscreen too to protect other exposed areas of your body. Finally, sporting a pair of sunglasses will make your walk more comfortable.

It’s the day of the Walk.  Where do I go? 
Maps and parking instructions are located on each regional Walk homepage.

How do I get my Walk for Hope T-Shirt?  
Walk T-Shirts are available for pickup prior to the event at select locations, and at designated booths/stations day of event. Select an event location for more details. 

Where do I hand in my cash and check donations on the day of the Walk?
Look for an area marked as the Registration location. There will be volunteers onsite to help you find this location.

What if I forget my donations on the day of the Walk?
You can mail them in to the address on the sponsor form.

Is there food at the event? Water? 
There will be some food sampling opportunities but plan on eating a hearty breakfast prior to arrival. Water stations will be peppered along the Walk route.

Will there be restrooms at the event?
Yes, there will be portable restrooms throughout the event grounds.

I’m running a bit late. Will the event start without me? 
We cannot hold this event up because of extenuating circumstances. Avoid this stress and plan on arriving early.

If I begin feeling poorly during the Walk, will someone be there to help?
Yes. We will have a medical team present in case you become ill during the race and require assistance off the course. Just to play it safe, be sure to properly hydrate before, during and after the Walk.

If any further questions arise on the day of the event, we will have “Solutions Tables” scattered about the event. City of Hope staff manning those tables will be able to answer any queries that we have failed to address.